She offers him a profound secret to life in her words. “A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit in.” Then she says, “Good people do good things for other people, that’s it, the end.” The rest of the episode shows the slow transformation of Tony. He goes from being an angry, self-absorbed, and grumpy dude to someone others-focused, kind, and gentle soul…he even found a glimpse of happiness and hope in the midst of his pain. Why do I share this story? Besides it being one of my favorite shows, I also wanted to continue our “Storytelling” series by showing how a great story can be told. Remember, storytelling is one of the most important tools in business…if done right, it will leave a lasting impression on your audience. Here’s a quick review – make sure your story answers these questions (as today’s example does): Who’s the main character in the story? Tony What’s the character’s problem? Tony lost the most important treasure in his life, his wife. What/Who is the guide that the character meets? Anne How does this guide help the character? Anne sees his pain and how he’s reacting to it with anger and resentment…so she gently shares the secret of happiness. What’s the plan? Live for others How did he execute this plan? He started doing good for others. Did he win? He found meaning. How did the character transform? Angry to gentle, self-absorbed to generous, and grumpy to happy. As we continue this series, I hope it leads you to find your own story, your own voice, and your own experience of transformation. But for today, you’ll just have to be content with the secret to happiness.