In this episode, Eric talks with Bill Blankschaen, founder of StoryBuilders and author of Your Story Advantage, about why so many capable people feel called to do more, yet never take responsibility for acting on it.

Bill shares his own transition from running a thriving private school to stepping into the uncertainty of writing, storytelling, and building a message-driven business. What looks like a career shift on the surface is really a deeper conversation about agency: why waiting for permission quietly drains momentum, and how clarity only emerges once people are willing to move.

At the center of the discussion is the idea that stories don’t begin with tactics, platforms, or tools. They begin with ownership. Bill explains why meaningful messages stall when people underestimate the value of their experience, overestimate the risk of being seen, or look for certainty before taking action.

The conversation also explores how storytelling actually works in practice. Not as clickbait or performance, but as a structured way to create attention, tension, credibility, and action without compromising integrity. Bill walks through the five core elements of effective storytelling, how intellectual property is developed responsibly, and why shortcuts like AI-generated content often weaken authority instead of building it.

They also dig into the difference between creativity and routine, where AI can help and where it cannot, and why originality, effort, and alignment still matter more than speed.

This is a grounded conversation for leaders, creators, and professionals who sense they’re capable of more, but feel stuck waiting for the “right moment” instead of choosing to move.

Topics Covered

• Why most people wait to be picked instead of taking responsibility
• The hidden cost of staying comfortable in “good enough” work
• How clarity only comes after action, not before
• The difference between telling a story and owning a message
• Why credibility is built through effort, not visibility
• A practical five-part framework for effective storytelling
• Where AI helps creative work and where it undermines it
• Why shortcuts often weaken authority instead of accelerating it
• Building a message ecosystem that lasts beyond a single book or launch

Episode Links

• StoryBuilders: https://mystorybuilders.com/
• StoryBuilders Method: https://mystorybuilders.com/story

For more episodes: https://unfoldingthought.com

Questions or guest ideas: [email protected]