16 Jul 2025
Why Storytelling Mastery Lives in the Middle
I am standing on a court in Santa Barbara, and it's my very first pickleball lesson. I arrived early and I’m already warmed up, focused and ready to do everything exactly right. In fact, even before booking this lesson, I researched every single coach in town. I landed on Richard Pastoria because he's the real deal: a professional coach for over 25 years, the resident pickleball pro at the Valley Club of Montecito, and - not only that - he also has a military background. That combination of structure and discipline and high standards speaks to me because I've been an athlete my entire life, and I take performance seriously, so I want to work with someone who brings that level of excellence and who understands focus like I do. I'm thinking we are going to be perfectly aligned.
A few minutes into the lesson, we are already deep into a drill, and Coach Richard feeds me a ball. I move the way I think I'm supposed to and swing the way I think I'm supposed to… and I completely miss. Instantly, I feel my entire body tighten. I start analyzing. What did I do wrong? Was it my grip, or maybe it was my footwork? Or it could be my timing…
I replay this moment in my mind, and I start getting mad at myself because I'm doing what he's telling me to do. I can feel myself spiraling faster and faster. I am an athlete. I should be able to do this. I should be able to pick this up.
I want so badly to get this right. It’s at this moment that Coach Richard can see me spiraling. Across the court, I hear him yell out, “Kymberlee!” Okay, here it comes. I'm bracing myself, thinking that it's going to be a technical adjustment, another drill, and he says, “It's just pickleball.” That's it. No lecture, no overanalysis, just those three words.
At that moment, I laugh. My shoulders drop, and I stop holding my breath because he's right; it is just pickleball. All of a sudden, I think, what if this were fun? Everything shifts. I keep playing, but now I feel lighter, looser, still focused but not robotic. I start laughing when I miss. I reset faster and strangely start hitting the ball better, and I realize that I don't have to choose between working hard and also having fun. I can actually care deeply and enjoy myself at the exact same time, and that paradox, that is where the power is.
In this episode of the Storytelling School Podcast, I discuss what you can do to make your story truly land, why too much control kills connection, and so much more. You’ll get answers to questions like:
How can you be both serious about your performance and still have fun at the same time? What elements need to be in alignment in order to deliver a memorable Talk? How can you tell a compelling story without sounding robotic or rehearsed?
What you will learn in this episode:
How mastery over your Talk is in the balance between effort and ease
Why your energy should be in sync with your story
Why perfection is not persuasive
Why letting go just enough creates the necessary space for authenticity, flow, and real impact
A little about me:
Hi there. I’m Kymberlee.
As a Speaking Strategist and founder of Storytelling School, I’ve had the pleasure of working with over 500 speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs worldwide for over a decade. No matter if those folks were getting ready to take the TED or TEDx stage or preparing for a high-stakes presentation with everything on the line, my specialty is High Stakes Short Form Communication. I’ve seen what works when influencing change and what doesn’t. It turns out storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your arsenal. That’s why I’m building a movement of master storytellers to affect change in the world on a global scale to help people tell real stories that have influence and impact. With effective storytelling, you change people’s lives.
Since competition for potential client attention is fierce, a story can make the difference between being memorable or irrelevant. You’ll find me sharing my matcha tea mishap to discuss perfectionism, my quest for Bruce Lee and Hello Kitty art to explore kindness, or, as I discuss in this episode, the six months of live blade training I underwent to illustrate presence. I spend my days showing the power of using stories to help cement ideas and bring lessons to life and teach my clients to do the same.
If you think business owners can’t tell stories or don’t have stories to share with their clients, staff, donors, followers, or investors, I invite you to reconsider your perspective. There’s no better place than in business to tell your stories so audiences, no matter how big or small, can understand how you think and what you value.
Now it’s your turn... If you’re ready to become a master storyteller and effect change in our world, you’ve come to the right place.
Links and Resources
Storytelling School Website
@storytellingschool on Instagram
@storytellingschool on Facebook
