August 1, 2025
Social media has completely changed the way we tell stories. Before, you used to have a few minutes to tell a great story. Today, you’ve got 47 seconds to grab attention and keep people watching.
And in this blog, let me share exactly how to do that by following three simple steps.
But before that, let share this brief story from Dan Martell. His channel has exploded largely because of the stories he tells.
I had heard that my barber had won the lottery, like a million-plus dollars, but he was still cutting my hair. He’s cutting my hair. I said, “Phil, can I ask you a question?” He said, “Yeah.” I said, “Did you win the lottery?”
“Yep, Dan, I won the lottery.”
I said, “I don’t want to be rude. Is it rude for me to ask you like then why? Like, why you cut my hair? Like, I don’t think you like me that much.”
And he’s like, he goes, “You know, Dan, if I would have known better, I would have done something different.”
I said, “What’d you do?”
He said, “Well, I got the money, bought myself, my wife, my kids new cars, I paid off the mortgage, I brought the whole extended family on this big cruise, and when it was all said and done, a million bucks doesn’t go that far.”
And I remember hearing that and realizing that it wasn’t even the money, it was his mindset around the money. He didn’t believe he deserved that million dollars. And when you don’t believe you deserve something, you work really hard to get rid of it.
Dan Martell is a master storyteller. But what really makes the story work? He follows a simple three-step structure I call CAT.
Let’s break it down.
Now, back in the days, people spent minutes setting the scene. They talked about their whole résumé, the company’s history, or even the smell in the room.
Now, you can’t do this anymore. Today, you’ve got one, two, three sentences to set the scene. That’s it.
So, just answer: where and when does it take place? Who’s the main character? And maybe what does that character want?Â
That’s it. Everything else—cut it.
Now, here’s how I start most of my stories. I say something like, “Two weeks ago, I was in my apartment in Amsterdam when I got this email that changed everything.”
Or, “Last December, I was on stage speaking at this large tech conference.”
Done, right? That’s all the context you need because the faster you get into the most important part of the story, the better.
Now, every great story has one thing in common. It zooms into one specific challenge. Not five challenges, not some vague problems—just one clear moment when something goes wrong or gets hard.
In Dan Martell’s story, well, it’s that conversation with his barber, right? He just couldn’t understand—why was this guy still cutting his hair after winning the freaking lottery?
So ask yourself, what’s the one challenge in your story?
And again, it could be a tough decision, an emotional struggle, a physical struggle, or a conflict with someone else. But here’s the key: zoom into one specific moment.
Don’t just say, “Oh, it was hard.” Show us. Start with dialogue. What did that other person actually say in that exact moment?
My best friend looked at me and said, “Phillip, I’m done with you. I don’t want to be associated with you anymore.”
Then show us your thoughts. I thought, “How can this be? We’ve been friends for like 20 years. Why are you doing this to me?”
And then describe how it felt. I felt this big lump in my throat.
This is the heart of it. No adversity, no story.
But if you want to make it relevant to your audience, you need that final step.
Here is where you share what you learned. The one idea that you want people to remember.
In Dan Martell’s story, the takeaway was simple but powerful: If you don’t believe you deserve something, you work really hard to get rid of it.
Now, it wasn’t 10 lessons. It wasn’t a crazy long list of insights. Just one clear takeaway.
So, do the same in your story. Wrap it up with one thing that shifted your thinking. Something your audience can take with them.
It should help them to see something different, something new, or maybe take action in their own lives.
Now that we’ve covered the three steps of CAT, let’s look at another example. Here’s a short story from Lewis Howes, one of the most successful creators out there.
I used to live in an apartment building here in LA. It was really sad. There were a lot of wealthy people in this building that I lived in—a lot of celebrities and billionaires. I was the poorest person there.
But I was on a trip, and I came back from a trip, driving back into the valet of my building, and there was a tent in the valet. And I kind of jokingly said to the valet attendant as I pulled into the building, “Someone didn’t jump, did they?” Kind of like joking.
And the guy looked at me with a serious face, like, “Yeah, it just happened like 30 minutes ago.”
I was like, “This can’t be real.”Â
It was like, what? There are billionaires in here. There are millionaires in here. There are celebrities in here.
And I was just thinking, why would someone worth so much money take their life?
And I don’t want to assume what really happened, but it doesn’t mean having all the money in the world is going to solve all your problems and you’re going to feel like you can love and accept yourself.
So like you said, you may learn how to make a lot of money, but if you haven’t learned how to heal your relationship with you, then all the money in the world can’t save your life.
What an incredible storyteller, right?
This is the perfect framework to craft viral stories.
But hey, once you’re starting to feel more comfortable with it, you can then also sprinkle in a few more advanced storytelling techniques.
So if you want to learn more on how to tell powerful and unforgettable stories, check out this article where I share three simple frameworks to better articulate your thoughts.
Enjoy.
P.S. Want to become a stronger communicator?
Here are two ways I can support you:
👉 Want to tell more engaging stories? Join our next Storytelling Workshop.
👉 Want to speak with confidence and clarity? Check out our Communication Skills Training.
Both are fun, practical, and designed to help you grow fast.
See you on the inside.
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