“Reality itself starts in the imagination and it’s extended with narrative and story, and then action. So if your mind isn’t right then nothing’s right”.
In this episode of Black Genius, lifelong entrepreneur and founder of Tribetan, Tiffany Norwood, teaches us about the science of manifestation through storytelling, especially for entrepreneurs and innovators. She critiques the philosophical question about the sound made by a tree that falls in the forest if no one is around to hear it. She explains that the focus should be on the narrative of what happened. If no one is there to tell the story of the tree, then no one knows if the tree even existed at all much less if there is a sound when it fell. She posits that the story that is told is what determines the reality of what happened. This, Tiffany explains, is why entrepreneurs or innovators or anyone trying to convince someone to do something should not think of their story as a pitch, but as a persuasive narrative.
Tiffany also breaks down the three components to persuasive storytelling: conviction, objectivity, and grace. Conviction is language, action, or tone that shows how much your dream matters to you. Declarative statements, rather than “maybes” and “mights”, show that you are ready and committed to the work you are doing. Objectivity references the hard data evidencing your story, ie data on the market you will serve or traction you’ve already made.
On her childhood, Tiffany explains how she always knew–even at a young age that she was meant to be an inventor. It was all in her interests and her imagination as a child. She goes on to explain that children will gravitate towards certain things and something that adults do that we shouldn’t, is to discourage them from daydreaming. We should stop thinking that their dreams are unrealistic. Instead, let them daydream and then write it down. Tiffany references Simone Biles’ recent Vogue article where the writer, Abby Aguirre, details how as a child, Simone was already very physically inclined and always in motion. Tiffany poses the idea that what if Simone’s caregivers stopped her from jumping off of things or said she needed to be more careful. She might not have the exceptional career in gymnastics that she has today. Tiffany believes that sometimes, as parents or siblings, family, and loved ones, we just need to get out of the way!
Watch the full video here!