The Three Rs of Storytelling
A memorable story must be Repeatable, Relay emotion, and Reframe a belief.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~months to results
- Steps
- 3
- Confidence
- 85%
Yasser Khan, a public speaking coach, argues the most important thing storytelling does is make a message memorable, people remember stories far longer than lectures or bullet points. He offers three tests, the three Rs, a story must pass to be remembered. First it must be repeatable: clear and simple enough that the listener can retell it to someone else, or it won't be remembered. Second it must relay emotion, because if the listener feels nothing they won't remember it, and almost anything can be made emotional. Third, and strongest, it must reframe an existing belief, taking the listener from point A to point B rather than just restating what they already know.
Origin
Yasser Khan, one of the most sought-after public speaking coaches, codified the three Rs from coaching speakers, illustrating that even napkins or dishes can be made emotional in front of an audience of 500 loan officers.
Core principles
- 01The core value of storytelling is memorability, people remember stories far longer than facts.
- 02A story must be repeatable: simple and clear enough to retell to someone else.
- 03A story must relay emotion, if the listener feels nothing, they won't remember it.
- 04The strongest stories reframe an existing belief, moving the listener from point A to point B.
How to run it
- 1
Make it repeatable
Craft the story simply enough that a listener can hear it and then repeat it to someone else, like a comedian's memorable bit.
Pro tip If you can't repeat it, you won't remember it, so simplicity is the first test.
- 2
Relay emotion
Make the listener feel something; almost any subject, even napkins or dishes, can be told with emotion.
Pro tip Use imagery and vary your delivery, even mundane topics can be made to feel emotional.
Watch out If they don't feel anything, they will not remember it.
- 3
Reframe a belief
Take the listener from point A to point B, changing how they see the world rather than confirming what they already know.
Pro tip This is the strongest element, a story that only tells people what they know changes nothing.
In the wild
Khan recounts that at a conference of 500 loan officers he was asked to make napkins emotional, and did, proving any subject can relay emotion.
→ The demonstration shows that emotional delivery, not the topic, is what makes a story memorable.
Common mistakes
Presenting as bullet points
Delivering 30 bullet points from start to finish creates no imagery or feeling, so the message is forgotten like a three-hour college lecture.
Telling people what they already know
A story that only confirms existing beliefs fails to reframe anything and therefore doesn't change the listener or stick.
Is it for you?
Best for
Public speakers, coaches, and creators who need their message to stick and shift beliefs.
Not ideal for
Contexts requiring neutral, emotion-free factual delivery such as compliance disclosures.
From the transcript
“there are three things that I talk about the three Rs to be remembered”
“can you reframe an existing belief if your story tells me what I already know it's not changing my belief”
From the episode
Hook Your Audience in 8 Seconds and Stand Out Online