The Stories We Choose to Believe
Aligned agreement is extremely rare and precious, and all built on perception
In his bestselling book, Money, The True Story of a Made-Up Thing, Jacob Goldstein states a challenging and mostly ignored truth: “Money only works because we all agree to believe in it.” Think of it; Why can I hand you a piece of paper or plastic and expect you to happily hand me a good or service in return? It's our common perception of value that allows us to act and to transact.
Successful #CorporateStorytelling is built on the same construct. My content creates value and impact for you only when we both agree that content is worth sharing, investing in, and beneficial for both parties. That type of aligned agreement is extremely rare and precious, and all built on perception.
The Money Illusion
Goldstein offers this intriguing view of real versus perceived value; If you bought a house for $100,000 in 1985, then sold it for $400,000 in 2008 we'd likely agree that you made a $300,000 profit on that property. Only 400K in 2008 was worth less than 100K was worth in 1985, so what have we actually agreed on? Did you make money or lose money on that sale? This is known as The Money Illusion, coined by John Maynard Keynes and Yale economist Irving Fisher in his 1928 book of the same title.
This illusion is an intriguing element of communication because numbers alone don't tell a full story. Perception is often more attractive than detailed fact. For instance, the highest grossing film in 2016 was Star Wars: The Force Awakens which earned $900 million in ticket sales. In 1939, Gone With the Wind brought in $200 million at the box office – which film actually created more value for its studio? Through that lens, our mutual agreement shifts.
Start with what you believe
Staying with the money analogies, consider the wild market fluctuations we're all living through at this moment. Each announcement of tariffs added, tariffs delayed, tariffs altered has corporations and investors nervous about this administration's next move. Many of us agree it's frightening, depressing, and a crush to our recent booming economy as we continue to ride this nauseating global economic roller coaster. We think, “I lost 20% of my nest egg in the past month!”
But the real story stretches back far more than a month. And no money is truly “lost” until assets are sold. Hold those stocks over time and the only decline is in temporary leverage. Viewed in years opposed to since election day 2025, our recent 20% loss follows a 40% gain since 2022, meaning we're still up 20% despite the present challenges. Story matters.
This is why your #CorporateStorytelling needs to offer a clear, strong point of view, and achieve agreement with your audience. The goal is not to provide every detail and datapoint to prove or disprove your theory and sway their opinion – that's more a professorial or doctoral thesis academic exercise, not a keynote. Start with what you believe, then craft the story of your breakout session or workshop to help others align with your belief.
Bottom Line
As the speaker on stage or the leader of your team, you get the opportunity to set the story. The value you provide in a talk or meeting isn’t measured by the quantity of information or number of perspectives you share – it’s measured by what you can get others to agree on.
Loss or gain are best viewed through a long rather than short lens. Money only works because we all agree to believe in it. What can you get your audience – or your team, employee, boss, or customer – to believe in and trust? That nuance could determine the success or failure of your next storyteller engagement.
