I can’t believe I thought this...

If your posts fall flat, this is the reason.

Author

Stephen Stanberry
September 15th, 2025

In partnership with

Hey friend!

Back when I was a kid and went to the country, my cousin used to repeat the same warnings over and over. Don’t wander too close to the river. Don’t eat fruit that dropped to the ground. Don’t run barefoot after dark.

At the time, it felt like nagging. Later, I realized they weren’t rules. They were stories. And they stuck because they carried meaning.

That’s how stories work. They don’t need polish. They don’t need explanation. They sink into memory.

Most solopreneurs and coaches forget this when they write content. They share tips, post advice, and wonder why their audience scrolls past.

The truth is:

Information gets skimmed
Advice gets ignored
Stories get remembered

Why? Because your audience wants connection before they want solutions. They want to see themselves in your words.

You don’t need to overcomplicate it. You need three things:

A story from your journey
A lesson inside it
A thread back to your offer

That’s it.

This is the same approach I use in ghostwriting for clients. Their engagement jumps. Leads start showing up. Not because they said it perfectly, but because they said it truthfully.

So here’s what you do this week. Write down one moment where you messed up, almost quit, or learned something the hard way. Keep it messy. Keep it short. Share it.

That’s the kind of story that builds trust.

Stephen

P.S. If the blank page keeps winning, here’s 47 prompts to help you pull stories straight from your own journey.

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