Story fuels the motivation that drives action.

TLDR: Logic makes people think, but a great story is what makes them act. We analyzed Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie's TED Talk to decode how he turns a compelling story into a persuasive call to action. In this edition, we break down how Hamish McKenzie structures his TED Talk to create that effect—and how you can use the same moves to give your message more traction, urgency, and staying power.

Some talks explain what you've built. Movement-building talks articulate what you believe.

This is the difference between a presentation that informs and one that ignites. It’s the strategy you see in pivotal TED Talks and high-profile keynotes—especially when someone is introducing a fundamental shift in how we work, live, or create. It does more than just explain an idea; it builds energy around it by giving the audience a reason to care and a role to play in what comes next.

But how do you get from belief to action? Story fuels the motivation that drives action. A story reframes your idea inside a broader change, helps people see themselves in the future, and creates the momentum needed for true buy-in.

Today, we're breaking down a masterclass in this approach: “This Is What the Future of Media Looks Like,” a TED Talk from Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie. It’s structured around belief and designed to spread. We’ll look at three moves he makes that you can use to give your own message more traction, urgency, and staying power.

Let's dive in.

Move #1: Frame the Moment, Don't Just State the Topic

Movement-building talks don’t ask the audience to simply consider a new idea. They place the audience inside a turning point and make the stakes feel shared and personal.

This urgency begins in the first minute. McKenzie starts with a bold, high-level assertion:

“We’re living through the most significant media disruption since the printing press.”

He’s not just saying "media is changing." He’s naming a once-in-a-century transformation and putting the audience directly in the center of it. The seemingly small shift to "we" makes the moment feel collective and the story deeply relevant.

How to Use It: Open with a shift that’s already in motion—something your audience is feeling, noticing, or quietly wrestling with. Anchor your idea as a timely and necessary response to that change.

Move #2: Give the Change a Clear Shape

At the core of McKenzie’s talk is a simple, powerful arc: an old system, a period of chaos, and the emergence of something new. This structure works because it mirrors how we naturally make sense of change—by looking back at what broke to understand what must come next.

He gives each phase a memorable name:

  1.  The Temple: Top-down, centralized media.
  2.  The Chaos: Fragmented platforms ruled by algorithms.
  3.  The Garden: A slower, more human model built on trust.

By walking the audience through this sequence, he gives them a logical and emotional path to follow. The future doesn't feel like a radical leap; it feels like the next inevitable step.

How to Use It: Use a three-part arc to lead your audience through change. Whether you’re introducing a new strategy or rethinking a process, show where we were, what broke, and where we’re going. Give each phase a name to make it stick.

Move #3: Use a Metaphor That Challenges the Norm

The worlds of tech and media often describe change with metaphors of speed, scale, and domination. McKenzie chooses a different route. In a culture of acceleration fatigue, he offers something unexpected: a garden.

This metaphor is a brilliant counterpoint. It does three things instantly:

  1. Reframes disruption as growth. It shifts the story from violent upheaval to something organic and worth tending to.
  2. Challenges dominant narratives. It questions the assumption that bigger and faster is always better.
  3.  Creates emotional resonance. A garden feels personal, resilient, and communal—precisely what creators seek in a chaotic landscape.

This isn’t disruption-as-destruction; it’s disruption-as-restoration. The metaphor makes the future feel less like something to brace for and more like something to build together.

How to Use It: If you're in a space where everyone uses the same tone or analogies, choose the opposite. A well-placed contrast can reset expectations, shift the frame, and make your message unforgettable.

Wrap-up

McKenzie’s talk shows how powerful a message becomes when it’s framed as part of a larger story. By establishing a shared belief, mapping out the journey, and offering a hopeful vision, he makes his idea feel meaningful and urgent.

That’s the ultimate win. You create a message that’s easier to remember, easier to share, and far easier to get behind.

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