Hey Reader
Welcome back to The Wednesday Story Reset.
Every Wednesday:
• One story you can reuse
• One practical speaking insight
• One deeper shift to build a stronger voice
Let’s begin.
1. The Story You Can Reuse
A 10-year-old boy once went to a Judo master and said,
“Master, I want to learn Judo.”
There was just one challenge.
Due to an accident earlier in life, the boy had lost his left arm.
The master knew this and still agreed to train him.
But instead of teaching many techniques, the master taught him only one move.
The boy practiced it every day.
Weeks turned into months.
Finally he asked,
“Master, why are you teaching me only one move?”
The master replied,
“This is the only move you will ever need.”
Soon after, the master took him to a Judo competition.
To everyone’s surprise, the boy kept winning — first round, second round, and eventually the final.
Each time, he used the same move.
After the match, the boy asked,
“How did I win with just one move?”
The master smiled.
“Two reasons.
First — this is one of the most difficult moves in Judo.
Second — the only way your opponent can defend it…
is by grabbing your left arm.”
In that moment, the boy realized something powerful.
What he thought was his greatest weakness had actually become his greatest strength.
Where You Can Reuse This Story
This story works beautifully when you want to talk about:
• Turning weaknesses into strengths
• Mastery through focus and repetition
• Confidence building
• Leadership and mentorship
• Personal growth and resilience
Structure to remember:
Apparent weakness → Focused practice → Hidden advantage → Breakthrough
2. One Practical Insight: The PPF Technique for Impromptu Speaking.
One situation many professionals struggle with is impromptu speaking.
A question is asked in a meeting…
and suddenly the mind goes blank.
A simple framework that helps in such situations is PPF — Past, Present, Future.
It gives your answer a natural flow and structure.
The PPF Framework
Past – Briefly acknowledge the background or what has happened before.
Present – Explain the current situation or your key insight.
Future – Share the next step or what should happen going forward.
Example
Imagine someone asks in a meeting: “Why are our sales dropping?”
You could respond using PPF like this:
Past: “In the last two quarters, we saw strong growth mainly due to the new product launch.”
Present: “However, this quarter sales have slowed down because the marketing rollout was delayed.”
Future: “Our focus now should be accelerating the campaign and strengthening the distribution channels.”
In less than a minute, you’ve given a clear, structured answer.
When your thoughts have structure, your confidence increases.
3. One Stronger Voice Shift
Even the most confident people have days when self-doubt creeps in.
One simple habit that can instantly boost your confidence is keeping an Achievement Tracker.
This is a simple list where you record:
• wins from your work
• appreciation from clients or colleagues
• milestones you’ve achieved
• challenges you’ve overcome
Whenever you feel low or start doubting yourself, go back and read this list.
It reminds you of something very important:
You’ve already done hard things before.
And if you’ve done them once, you can do them again.
Confidence is not just built by success.
It is also built by remembering your success.
Reflection for This Week
Take 10 minutes today and start your Achievement Tracker.
Write down at least 5 things you’ve done well in the past year.
The next time doubt appears, you’ll have evidence ready.
Want to consult with me on Your Storytelling & Communication Journey
I love to help people who want to excel in Communication & Storytelling at various levels. If you want to know how I can help you, please schedule a no-obligation discovery call here
Please book the above call only if you are willing to show up.
Do you want to host a customised storytelling or presentation skills training for your team. Contact me today with "TRAINING" if you want to explore your options 📩!
Do reach out if you have any further questions.
You can also read this newsletter here
Until next time,
Thanks and regards
Haritosh Srivastav
Founder & Master Coach
Confident Storytelling Hub
Keep Learning, Keep Growing And
Keep Going Out of Your Comfort Zone.
