From My Couch to the STORY Stage: What Vicarious Mastery Taught Me About Sharing Your Story
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Once Upon A Time
Three years ago, I was curled up on my big blue couch, compulsively twirling my hair, staring at a wall, and wondering what the hell I was doing with my life.
In October 2025, I stood on the STORY stage in Nashville and told that story to hundreds of people.
A lot can happen in three years.
The Couch
It was September 2022. I was two years into my entrepreneurial journey, and things were not going well. I’d just finished a client project that was emotionally draining and deeply misaligned with what I actually wanted to do. I had zero new clients. I didn’t know how I was going to pay rent.
So I did what any totally-fine, definitely-not-spiraling person would do.
I pulled out my phone and doom scrolled Instagram. (Obviously.)
Because clearly the answers to all my life’s problems were going to be found in a 90-second reel or a carousel of inspirational quotes. (Spoiler: they were not. 😂)
I would scroll and scroll, then tell myself all the things I should be doing instead. Then I’d scroll more and feel ashamed that I couldn’t motivate myself to actually do them.
And I felt stuck. So, so stuck.
But then a very well-targeted Instagram ad stopped my scroll.
STORY 2022.
The world’s premier gathering for storytellers and creators. Theme: “Don’t you know who you are?”
I bought a virtual ticket on the spot.
The Tingles
For two days, I sat on that couch and immersed myself in incredible speakers and an online community of artists, activists, teachers, preachers, poets, and marketers—all using their stories to create change in the world.
I felt full body tingles for the entire two days.
And something clicked: if all these people could find their own unique way to use story to create impact, maybe I could too.
Vicarious Mastery
What I experienced has a name. Psychologists call it vicarious mastery—the phenomenon where hearing someone else’s story of achievement helps you believe your own is possible.
When you’re at the start of something hard, something that makes you think I don’t know if I’m capable of that, hearing someone who’s achieved what you want to achieve opens a door. You start to see a path. Maybe you’re even inspired to take that first step.
That night, I pulled out my journal and wrote:
“I am both inspired and convinced that I want to be up on that stage—that I could put together a talk that would spark ripples in people.”
Narrative Navigation in Action
After STORY 2022, I started doing what I now call Narrative Navigation—using my past, present, and possible stories to create direction forward.
I time-traveled to the possible: What kind of person stands on that STORY stage? Probably someone who helps people use their personal stories to create the lives, careers, companies, and communities of their dreams. Cool. Future direction.
I looked to my past: What superpowers, values, and bigger purpose could fuel this journey? I found stories that helped me understand that.
And then I got curious in the present. I started calling myself a Story Coach. I launched my first small group community. I created a monthly storytelling night in San Francisco called Storytime (I know of at least one couple who got together at one of those, so you’re welcome). I brought storytelling into corporations—not to help them with their social strategy, but to help their people understand the impact of their own stories.
The clarity I got from STORY 2022 didn’t make this journey easy. It has not been easy. It’s been hard. But it made it possible.
The Stage
Standing on that STORY stage in Nashville, looking out at hundreds of storytellers, I took a breath. I really took it in. This is happening.
But the most powerful part? The conversations afterward. Person after person came up to me and said: “I’ve been on that couch. I’ve felt that stuck. Your story is giving me courage.”
That’s vicarious mastery coming full circle. The thing that pulled me off my couch was someone else’s story. And now my story was doing the same for others. And their stories will do the same for someone else. The ripple just keeps going.
Why This Matters For You
Your story is a gift. Not someday, when it’s polished or complete or impressive enough. Right now. As messy and in-progress as it is.
Because you never know who might be curled up on their couch, needing to hear your story to believe their own version is possible.
Three practices you can try today:
Pay attention. Whose stories give you full body tingles? What makes you think “maybe I could do that too”?
Explore your narrative. What possible futures can you see? What past experiences can you draw on? What small experiment can you try right now?
Share generously. Your story might be exactly what someone else needs.
🧭 Join Me at STORY 2026
STORY is coming back to Nashville on October 1–2, 2026. I cannot recommend it enough. This is not your typical conference. It’s experiential, immersive, intentionally designed by the incredible Harris III and Kate Harris, and filled with the most extraordinary community of storytellers and creative leaders I’ve ever encountered.
I’ll be there. I hope you’ll join me.
🏟️ Get tickets: https://istoria.com/story/
✨ Story Sparks
📚 PAST: When was a time someone’s story helped you believe something was possible for you? Who was it, and what shifted?
🎯 PRESENT: What’s a story you’ve been keeping to yourself because you’re not sure it’s “big enough”?
✨ POSSIBLE: What’s a “possible story” you’ve been carrying—a future you can see but haven’t stepped into yet?
What was YOUR spark moment—when hearing someone else’s story helped you believe your dream was possible?
