Storytellers often face a paradox: to connect deeper externally, you have to turn deeper internally. You have to know yourself and get more honest with how you think and feel than others might be comfortable doing themselves. That often means we have to stop caring what people think of us quite as much. In this episode, we meet Brook Cupps and Ryan Hawk, coauthors of the book The Score That Matters. We talk about how they collaborated on their book together and how they use stories to inspire and lead others. Brook is the head boys basketball coach at Centerville High School in Ohio, while Ryan hosts the popular podcast, The Learning Leader Show. What makes their partnership one of a kind—and what you'll hear in this episode—is the blend of practical coaching wisdom, deeply personal ideas, and storytelling finesse. The story we dissect comes from Brook, who shares how he transformed his coaching approach after a pivotal moment with his daughter, which shifted his entire philosophy. Ryan chimes in with insights from his own journey, emphasizing the importance of inner growth, values, and deliberate practice. It's a refreshing look at storytelling and the tough things we need to embrace first, which then allow us to become more effective communicators and leaders. BONUS: Hear Jay and Ryan on Ryan's podcast, discussing the art and science of hosting great interviews: https://learningleader.com/episode/330-deconstructing-the-art-science-of-interviewing-with-jay-acunzo/ ⚫ Check out Ryan Hawk’s podcast, The Learning Leader Show: https://learningleader.com/ ⚫ Learn more about Brook Cupps and Blue Collar Grit: https://www.bluecollargrit.com/about-us.html⚫ Get Ryan and Brook's book, The Score That Matters: https://www.amazon.com/Score-That-Matters-Excellence-Yourself-ebook/dp/B0CGZ8HRXD 🔵 Follow Jay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo/ 🔵 Subscribe to Jay’s newsletter: https://jayacunzo.com/newsletter 🔵 Learn about Jay’s coaching and consulting: https://jayacunzo.com/ 🟢 Created in partnership with Share Your Genius: https://shareyourgenius.com/ 🟢 Cover art designed by Blake Ink: https://www.blakeink.com/