How To Tell Powerful Stories On The Fly
We're told that stories are everything.
That they’re the reason people follow you. The reason someone clicks “subscribe.” The reason a stranger on the internet turns into a paying client, a loyal customer, a true believer. We hear it in podcasts. In workshops. In webinars and TED Talks.
“You just need to tell your story.”
But no one really explains how. No one talks about the moment you sit down to record a TikTok and your throat tightens, or when you’re halfway through a story at dinner and suddenly, you’re spiraling:
Am I rambling? Did I lose them? What am I even trying to say?
Instead of being in the story, you’re stuck above it — watching yourself perform. Detached from the moment. Detached from yourself.
Telling stories in real time, without a script, without the safety of revision, requires something deeper. Not just courage.
But presence.
If you’ve ever felt the pressure to get the story right — to make people care, to get them on board, to say it well enough that they don’t scroll past, this is for you. Here are five gentle practices to help you tell your story when the words don’t come easy.
How to Tell Powerful Stories ‘On the Fly’
1. Write it Down First
You won’t always have the luxury of writing a story down before you tell it. But if you can, tell a story you've already explored on the page, in a journal, or in your Notes app. Because while it may be tempting to jump straight into speaking, clarity almost always begins once we’ve taken the time to organize our thoughts
Example:
You’re ready to tell a story, so you sit down to film a video. You know the moment was important to share with your audience, you felt it, but now that you’re trying to talk about it, everything sounds flat. You say “it was a weird day,” then you blank, unsure what to say next.
Try this:
You write it down first. Not perfectly, just bullet points. Now, when you speak, the story flows. You’re not searching for words — you’re remembering what happened.
Why it works:
Writing it down helps you translate vague emotions into specific moments. It gives you language. And once the story has a shape on the page, it’s easier to speak aloud with confidence.
It helps you stay on track. No more jumping around from point to point trying to make a connection – you’ve done that already by giving yourself a rough timeline to follow.
2. Connect with Yourself, First
Before you start speaking, take a moment to slow down and check in with yourself. What within you is trying to emerge? Are you trying to teach something? Show vulnerability? Connect with people?
Your voice doesn’t open from pressure — it opens when your body feels safe.
Example:
You hit “record” while holding your breath, trying to force confidence.You end up sounding shaky and unsure of yourself, making you feel confused, unnatural, and tense.
Try this:
You sit down. Place your feet on the floor. Inhale. Exhale. Say: I am safe. Then you ask yourself gently: What does my heart want to say? What feels important for me to let people know? You begin speaking — not from pressure, but from the heart.
Why it works:
When your body is calm, you’re not performing the story — you’re sharing it. That check-in moment pulls the truth to the surface. And the more connected you are to yourself, the more likely your audience is to feel connected to you.
3. Focus on Action
Real-time storytelling — on camera, on stage, or in conversation — needs momentum. You don’t have time to set the scene like you would in writing. Instead, describe what’s happening, quickly and succinctly.
Example:
“I was sitting on the edge of my velvet green couch, sipping lukewarm chamomile tea from a chipped mug my grandmother gave me in college.” → Feels poetic, but meandering. Great for written story telling, but when speaking, the moment is drowning in detail.
Try this:
“I sat on my couch with my phone in hand, debating whether to text him back. I couldn’t stop thinking about what he said.” → Moves the story forward with emotional tension.
Why it works:
That first version can work beautifully in a written essay, where the reader expects to linger. But in fast-paced content — TikTok, Reels, a live Zoom call — attention is limited. You have to keep things moving. Let go of the extra details. Save them for the page. In real-time storytelling, action is what holds attention. It’s not about describing the room — it’s about what happened in it.
4. Create Distance Between Recording and Editing
What feels incomplete now might make perfect sense tomorrow. Sometimes it’s important to let our work lie and come back to it with fresh eyes.
Example:
You film a story, cringe, and delete it immediately. → This is a possible missed opportunity to find the gold.
Try this:
You record. Step away. Come back later. You realize half of it was brilliant — and all it needed was a good edit. You no longer desire to scratch the whole thing, you realize that some of it was still worth sharing.
Why it works:
Distance creates clarity. When you allow space between telling and editing, you can hear the story for what it is — not what you feared it might be.
Speaking live? Distance, in this context, means slowing down. It means pausing to let a sentence land. It's the breath you take before saying the thing that’s hard to say. It's trusting that the silence will hold you. And it’s giving yourself the grace to pivot in the moment without fear of others judging.
5. Trust the Moment
Sometimes, the best stories are the ones that aren’t overthought. They’re the ones that come out raw, real, and a little messy. They’re the ones where you don’t try to be perfect — you just try to be present.
Example:
You plan every word, rehearse it a dozen times, and still feel disconnected. You spend too much time with the material that nothing sounds the way you hoped it would.
Try this:
You speak from the heart, let the words flow, and connect deeply with your audience.
Why it works:
You know when you stare at a word too long, something simple that you use everyday, and you become unclear if you’re spelling it right? That is this same feeling that we want to avoid.
Authenticity resonates. When you trust the moment and allow yourself to be seen as you are, your story becomes a bridge — not a performance.
Remember:
You’re not bad at storytelling. Maybe you’re just trying too hard to get it right.
Let go of the pressure. Embrace presence. And trust that your story, told from the heart, is more than enough.
Tell Your Story Out Loud with Confidence
When you know how to speak your story clearly — on camera, in meetings, or in conversation — you don’t just sound confident. You become confident. People don’t just listen to you, they trust you. And trust is what turns attention into loyalty, and followers into clients. Inside Personal Brand Accelerator, you’ll learn how to share your story without a script, without overthinking, and without losing yourself in the pressure to be perfect. Whether you’re recording a Reel, leading a workshop, or speaking on stage, your story will land with clarity and confidence. If you want to start showing up with more presence and impact, join us inside Personal Brand Accelerator.
