8 Short Stories That Can Transform the Way You Connect with others

Here are 9 powerful mindset stories from the course—short real-life moments that changed how I or one of my students approached communication. Each one is simple, real, and might just shift something in you too.

1. The Artist Mindset: Being Weird is a Superpower
For a long time, I felt out of place—too weird, too different. Until one day, I decided to flip the story. I started seeing myself as an artist. Artists are weird. That’s their strength. That mindset gave me permission to speak up, to create boldly, to own my oddities. And guess what? People responded. They appreciated my uniqueness because I stopped hiding it.

2. What to Do If You Don’t Have Anything to Say
Silence used to terrify me. In group settings, I’d blurt out something just to fill the gap. But one day, I chose to stay quiet. No filler, no pressure. And when I finally did speak, people listened—because it was clear that I wasn’t just talking to talk. That moment taught me that less can be more, and that silence can hold power if you let it.

3. Irrational Judgments: The Donkey Story
Imagine getting kicked by a donkey—would you blame it for being a donkey? Probably not. You’d understand it as a reflex. Now apply that to people. Sometimes when someone lashes out, it’s not about you—it’s a reflexive defense. Realizing this helped me stop taking things so personally. Judging less and understanding more has saved me so much emotional energy.

4. 20 Years = 7,300 Days of Experience
I once caught myself brushing off someone’s opinion because they were “young.” But then it hit me: even a 20-year-old has lived over 7,000 days. That’s thousands of experiences, stories, lessons. From that day forward, I started treating every interaction as a chance to learn something. Everyone has value—if you’re willing to see it.

5. A Friend to All is a Friend to None
We’ve all seen it—people online who comment hearts and "amazing!" on every post. It feels nice… but it also starts to feel empty. I realized that when we try to be nice to everyone, we risk becoming meaningless to everyone. True connection comes with contrast, honesty, and intention. It’s not about pleasing the crowd—it’s about showing up with authenticity for the people who truly matter to you.

6. You Are the Average of the People Around You
A mentor once told me: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” That line hit hard. I started reflecting on my environment—and made intentional choices to surround myself with people who inspired me to grow. The difference was dramatic. I felt myself leveling up, just by being around people with higher standards and deeper curiosity.

7. Two different goals: Improve the quality of your work VS Managing how your work is perceived by others
With the wish to shine, some people want to optimize their work. But there is a different perspective to that.
Some people just optimize how they are seen from others doing work.
Those two strategies require a toootaly different skillset. In the best case you optimize for a good balance.

If you want to practice how you are perceived you can try to provide short notes about what you currently work on, and also where you struggle. Do this in small encounters, walking by.. spontaneous moments you meet your peers. This not just gives your working peers and boss some clue what you do day to day but also if you struggle.. it gives them a chance to help you with their ideas. This might sound new to you, but if you authentically share your struggles… most people can relate as they struggled themselves and want to happily help out. Especially if you are below 30 years or new to a position.

8. Fear of What You Said
After conversations, I used to replay everything in my head. “Did I say the wrong thing?” “Was that awkward?” But when I started asking people what they remembered, they almost never recalled my exact words. What they did remember was how they felt—if they felt seen, heard, and respected. That changed everything. The goal isn’t to say the perfect thing—it’s to leave behind a good time. And the best times are often very random and kinda stupid.

Bonus: Observe Yourself to Learn About Others, Observe Others to Learn About Yourself
Once, I was in a meeting and someone was sharing an idea that made no sense to me. My instinct was to brush it off. But instead, I caught myself and leaned in with curiosity. As I asked questions, the idea revealed unexpected layers. I realized that the way I initially reacted said more about me than about the idea.
That moment taught me: when you observe others, you learn about yourself. And when you observe yourself, you start seeing others with more compassion.