Some ceremonies communicate the anticipation of a new beginning and others demarcate an ending, but they all help people understand where they are in the transformation.

A study by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology found that ceremonies also enhance communication by “eliciting arousal, directing attention, enhancing memory, and improving associations.” Basically, ceremonies help people understand and process new messages and ways of thinking, making the moment more likely to be remembered.

Our storytelling book, Resonate, spawned a TEDx talk that got more than a million views total.

Using moments to turn artifacts into meaningful symbols seems part of human nature;

For many, the largest stumbling block to progress is letting go of the world they know. To help people move forward, show them how their attachment to the current state holds them back, and lay out how the proposed future can and will be better for them.

develop group cohesion and strong interpersonal relations.

A symbol could be anything—an image, object, word, or place—that comes to represent something else. Most symbols take on meaning by being part of a significant moment that gives rise to a speech, story, or ceremony, and often all three.

Spatial Where you are

If They’re Committed, You’ll Hear Them Say . . . Use Motivating Communication to Keep Them Going. “It’s not a sure thing, but I’ll bet on it!” “We need to move fast to be first.” “Let’s do this!” Appeal to travelers’ sense of adventure by highlighting the opportunity to explore uncharted territory, discover new ideas, develop new skills, and make b