The single word that explains why some stories land and others disappear.
Here’s the brutal truth: no one cares about your story unless it’s relevant to their story.
Your audience is always telling themselves a story. It’s happening whether you’re speaking or not. A narrative about who they are, who they want to become, what’s blocking them, what they’re afraid of, what they hope for. This story is the lens through which they interpret everything you say.
If your story aligns with their story — if it touches the same fears, the same desires, the same obstacles — then resonance happens. The message passes through their attention filters. It sticks. It becomes part of how they understand themselves.
If there’s no overlap, you’re just noise.
This is why the Beacon starts with audience. Understanding where your story and their story intersect is everything. It’s not about knowing your audience’s demographics. It’s about understanding the internal narrative they’re living in. What are they actually trying to do? What’s really stopping them? What would it mean if they succeeded?
The moment you identify that overlap, you have resonance. You don’t have to convince them anymore. You’re not speaking to them — you’re speaking with them. The story becomes something they recognise themselves in.
This is also why vulnerability works so well. When you admit confusion, flawed decisions, the need to rebuild — these aren’t your unique story. They’re the human story. And because your audience is living it too, right now, the moment you touch it, something clicks. They stop being an audience and become participants.
Resonance isn’t poetic. It’s practical. It’s the difference between a message that lands and a message that passes through the room without anyone catching it. It’s not about being emotionally manipulative — it’s about being honest about where the real overlap is.
Find the gap where both stories meet. That’s where your power lives.