The Speaking Club: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking

The Struggle IS the Story - Why Speakers Skip the Most Important Part - 342

July 23, 2026·14 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Many speakers think that the sexiest part of their story for the audience is the before and after. They're wrong.  The most valuable bit is often missed entirely or not given the space it deserves in your talk.  In this episode, I'm covering what that missing part is, what leaving it out is costing you and why you might feel resistance to including it in your signature story.  If you've ever felt your story isn't quite landing with your audience, or not getting you the results you want when you speak this episode might explain why ... and completely change the way you tell it.  What you'll discover: • The storytelling mistake Sarah spotted happening judging this year's Speaker Awards • What The Odyssey can teach you about telling a memorable signature story • Why audiences care less about your success than you might think • The missing piece of your story that undermines trust • Why sharing your failures can make you more credible, not less • The reason audiences often admire your transformation but don't believe they can achieve it themselves • How expert blindness can sabotage your story • The simple questions that help you uncover the lessons hidden inside your story • How to include the struggle, even if you've only got a short speaking slot • Why the decisions you made matter more than the destination you reached • What caterpillars, butterflies and chicken recipes have to do with great storytelling Enjoy! If you'd like to watch the video of the episode, you can do that on my YouTube channel soon. Speaking Resources: Grab Your From Blank Page to Stage Guide and Nail the Topic for a Client Winning Talk: https://saraharcher.co.uk/newguide-tsc  Episode 194, Storytelling. The Long and Short of It: https://thespeakingclub.com/episodes/tsc/194  Want to get better at finding and sharing your stories then check out our FREE Five Day Snackable Story Challenge: https://www.saraharcher.co.uk/challenge  To share your thoughts:                                                   ·   leave a comment below. ·   Share this show on Facebook or LinkedIn.   To help the show out: ·   Leave an honest review at https://www.ratethispodcast.com/tsc Your ratings and reviews really help get the word out and I read each one. *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)

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