'Once upon a time, far, far away...' is how the captivating stories of our childhood begin. As we think back, most of us can recall the tales that marvelled, intrigued and stirred our imaginations — that kept us daydreaming for hours on end.

Good stories, even in their simplest form, have fundamental elements that make them compelling. They are the rendering of an interesting idea, moral, fantasy, laid out with careful thought and intention. They are uplifting, disheartening, gratifying, frightening, powerful, gripping.

Stories allow us to make meaning of our lives and we tell them naturally, every day, even in simple conversations with friends and family. They help us express our emotions, our political stance, the injustices in our world. The rhythm of our lives is marked by a series of beginnings, middles and endings, where the ending of one chapter opens the door to another. With each new experience, with each passing moment of sorrow or gladness in our lives, comes the opportunity to start anew.

Then there’s gossip. Passing on stories about other people demonstrates our innate ability to manufacture and manipulate common experience and transform it into an epic. We take the essence of a situation, trim the unwanted and boring excess, add the controversial peaks, and finish with a climactic resolution! Gossip illustrates the desire in all human beings to impart stories and connect through them.

Movies, drama, documentaries, news stories…even reality television feeds our insatiable human longing for story. The popularity of Big Brother, Survivor, The Voice and many other reality shows demonstrate our desire to be swept away by the unpredictable, the spontaneous and to live out our own aspirations through the achievements of others.

While everybody dabbles and engages in story, creative thinkers take the art of storytelling seriously. It is the backbone of every creative form, from a Da Vinci creation and Aboriginal art to a television commercial or brilliant piece of design work. With every design step, collateral or advertising artwork we produce here at Social Impact Institute, it all begins and ends with telling a story. With each brush stroke, pencil mark and digital impression, we work to transport the viewer, the reader, the listener. As long as there is breath in us, there will always be story.

Social Impact Institute services are available throughout Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and regional areas. Call us on 1800 822 763 to have a chat and book your consultation.

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