The other day I was reading a March 1847 issue of Scientific American magazine.

Don’t worry, I don’t normally read 178-year-old Scientific American back issues. I was looking into something else and just so happened to stumble across this one.

There was this great quote:

“Why do not people treasure up all the choice anecdotes they read and hear related. They would form topics of conversation and there is no one listened to with more attention than the one who illustrates his subject by anecdotes. There is something exceedingly attractive in them, and we have noticed that the sleepiest member of an audience will awaken if the lecturer introduces an anecdote.”

I’m a big believer in the power of the anecdote. Just look at this email. Almost always, the basic format is an anecdote followed by a related communication tip. Same format, over and over. The other day I was remarking to a friend, “You know, no one cares one whit about what I have to say, but if I tie it to a story about myself, they’re like, ‘tell me more’.”

Put this to work for yourself. When you are making a point, any point, tie it to a personal story. The story doesn’t need to be long, just a few sentences is usually all it takes. A few lines about a mixed tape someone gave you when you were 16. A taxi ride in Hong Kong. Doesn’t need to be long, doesn’t need to be fancy.

You do need to make sure, ABSOLUTELY, that the anecdote you tell is somehow illustrating the point you are making. If it doesn’t, people will get confused and stop listening to you.

Don’t make your point carry the whole load by itself. Tie it to a personal anecdote. Give people a little flavor from your life. It’s amazing how much easier the point goes down with a few personal details. The human brain has been wired that way for hundreds of thousands of years.