I can’t continue this series on the emotional power of conflict in your stories without sharing one of my favorite examples, not from a movie but a speech from the stage.
I first saw this video decades ago, showing Tony Robbins telling a signature story of his own. I watch it every few years, and every time it brings me to tears, and then to a feeling of joy and amazement at his message and the way he presents it.
He describes what happened when he was eleven years old, living in poverty with parents who were constantly fighting, and a younger brother and sister he tried his best to protect from the anger and ever-present hunger that consumed their lives.
He goes on to tell about a knock on the door, and an event that changed his life forever.
I won’t reveal any more about his brilliantly told story; I want you to watch and experience it for yourself: TONY ROBBINS’ BASKET BRIGADE STORY.
Pay attention to how much pain he reveals from the moment the story begins, and how vividly he describes the situation, characters and action. As we are transported into his world, we feel deep empathy for this boy who is the hero of the story.
Listen to how desperately the young Tony wanted what was on the other side of his front door, and all the obstacles that stood between him and everything he longed for.
Notice how the conflict in the story builds, and how the pain increases until the climactic moment where he completes his simple act of generosity.
Then, in the powerful aftermath, experience how the lessons he took away from this event transformed him, and those around him, for years to come.
Watch also how emotionally involved you (and his audience) became, and how the transformation he experienced is ultimately transferred to all of us who are hearing his story.
And finally, notice how all that pain, conflict and emotion grow out of a simple story with no big action or spectacle, and no impossible-to-imagine resolution.
Tony Robbins tells a beautiful story about an outcome any of us could experience and grow from. And he ends with a call to action he wants us all to take, and be transformed by.
My final newsletter in the series on conflict will reveal the most effective path you can follow to find emotionally powerful stories: FOLLOW THE PAIN.
Conflict: The Most Direct Path to Emotion
