The 3-Minute Habit That Leads To Great Stories

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In my last newsletter, I wrote about five habits that can skyrocket your ability to create better stories.

Today, I want to go deeper by diving into one of these five.

But before we do, I just want to share something interesting about a place that starts to feel like home. I am back in Ubud. Something extraordinary is on the way. People all around me are preparing for a special day.

Nyepy Day, on the 11th of March, is a day of silence.

On that day, the entire island observes a day of silence, fasting, and meditation, and as part of the observance, there are no regular daily activities. This includes the shutdown of public services and the airport, and for the last few years, local authorities have also implemented an island-wide internet shutdown. This means that mobile internet services are turned off for 24 hours, although essential services such as hospitals are exempt from this.

Getting caught outside the hotel is considered deeply disrespectful and may even have legal consequences.

Something we could adopt in the West?

Share this now and comment!

Now, let’s talk about that simple but powerful habit.

What if you could become a walking reservoir of captivating stories by adopting just one 3-minute daily habit and, at the same time, improving your overall happiness tenfold?

You wouldn´t say not to that, would you?

The issue is that most people wander through life endlessly distracted, never paying attention and completely unaware, either by their cellphone from the moment they wake up, daydreaming and captured by the monkey mind dragging them back in time, or fantasizing about the future.

That is a huge problem but it is also an opportunity because, as the world gets more distracted, fewer good storytellers arise.

To put it another way, you need to be aware and mindful to have meaningful stories to share. When you tell a story, you tell the world about a real event and how it feels to see the world through your own unique lens, meaning, and interpretation.

In order to do that, a good story has to have a few important elements:

1. The story should revolve around a pivotal 5-second moment of inner change

2. It needs a clear structure with a set-up and beginning, a middle and an ending

3. It should be engaging and relatable

4. It requires clear intention and purpose

5. sensory details to make it immersive

6. Last but not least, we need to communicate clearly about the stakes at risk, answering the question, "Why should you care?"

Most importantly, stories need to be truthful, which makes the whole endeavor a lot more complicated because it requires you to really pay attention on a moment-to-moment basis.

Here is the good news: By paying more attention, life suddenly seems much brighter and people even start smiling around you :)

Now a short story that just happened this week.

It was a Sunday evening, and since it was my day off, I decided to wander through Ubud's vibrant streets and town center, undecided on where to go. I guess I felt bored and longing for connection.

The place is abundant with interesting sites and cafes, so I saw one that captured my attention and I stopped for a second.

There were numerous sandals scattered outside and the upbeat sounds of live music hinted that the restaurant I eventually arrived at was popular with younger people.

Feeling drawn to the energy inside, I could hear people sing and there was a positive vibe in the air. I decided to give it a try.

Inside, I claimed a spot at a large table, open to sharing with others due to the packed space and the ongoing concert creating a communal vibe. Shortly after, a man with a rasta look and Asian facial features approached me.

"Can I sit down here or are you waiting for someone?" he asked.

"Go ahead!" I responded, and after a few seconds, I added jokingly, "I am just waiting for my future wife."

His name was Zaki.

After a few minutes, as if on cue, a beautiful blond nordic-looking woman looking for a place to sit approached us, asking to join

Zaki, with a playful nod towards my earlier remark, exclaimed, "It's her!"

We burst out in laughter.

As she sat down, I turned to her and said,

"I am so happy to finally meet my future wife!"

Needless to say, the ice was broken and the rest of the evening we had a blast.

Maria turned out to be from Ukraine, and Zaki was from Singapore. Three people from different walks of life and places having a 5-second moment together

What started as a solitary exploration of Ubud transformed into an unexpected evening of friendship and connection.

If you paid attention, you might have noticed that there was one important story element missing.

There were no stakes at risk, unless you consider this my final shot at love 🤭

So, this story might not win any awards, but here's the thing: writing down those moments as they happen is crucial. They become your personal memory bank, or for the more dramatic, your treasure chest of relatable content.

It only takes 3 to 5 minutes to review the day in the evening, identify the most meaningful moment and write one or two sentences.

That´s it, but the sad reality is that most of you won´t do it, will you ?

If I hadn’t gone back in time in the evening and written this down, I wouldn't have been able to share it because humans are terrible at remembering stuff, and I probably would have forgotten because it was not that big of a deal.

Read that last sentence again.

Remember that it is not the dramatic events of things that matter to your audience but moments they can relate to.

Often, the deeper meaning reveals itself after we go back in time and put everything into perspective. Sometimes we can´t see the forest for the trees.

Here are a few more unexpected side effects of this simple habit of writing down the most memorable moments:

1. Enhanced memory and boosted creativity: Taking the time to write down details does help you remember things, and this will strengthen your memory over time. It makes you think about the world in new ways, which can lead to creative ideas.

2. Increased Mindfulness: Focusing on moments that you will remember helps you learn to live in the present and enjoy the little things.

3. Better storytelling and writing skills: Recording moments every day can help you talk about your experiences better, which will make your stories more interesting. Also, making it a habit to write every day, even if it's just for a short time, will improve your writing skills.

4. Greater Emotional Intelligence: Thinking about how you feel about everyday things can help you become more aware of and understand your emotions.

5. Increased Gratitude: This is a type of gratitude journaling, and writing down the good and bad things that happen in your life may help you value them more or build resilience. Either way, it is a win.

6. Better Stress Management: Reframing real events on a daily basis is a powerful mental technique that can help you feel less stressed and better overall. You started the day on a good note by changing the way you thought about things and seeing them from different standpoints.

7. Personal Growth: Over time, looking back at the things you recorded can help you understand how you've changed and grown as a person.

Always keep in mind that the only person you should compare yourself to is yourself.

This small but powerful habit will help you learn one of the most valuable skills there is: telling your story

Thank you for reading.

I love you all!

Roman 🤙🏻

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