The Two Essentials that Drive a Story: Intention & Obstacle
Once you learn this, you’ll spot it in every great story you hear.
This is one of those deceptively simple ideas I find myself returning to all the time, in creative meetings, on set with clients, and during campaign planning.
What does the main character want? And what’s getting in their way?
That’s it. That’s the engine.
When these two elements — intention and obstacle — are clear, your story has direction, stakes, and energy. Without them, it drifts. And in a digital space where attention is fleeting, drift is deadly.
Whether you’re creating a campaign video for a grassroots initiative, shaping a brand story for a new product launch, or scripting an explainer for a complex service, this framework can help you find clarity, structure, and emotional connection.
Let’s break it down.
Intention: The Drive Behind Every Decision
It starts with what the character wants. Not vaguely, not someday—but clearly and right now.
Why this matters
Our brains are wired for narrative. We’re constantly (and often unconsciously) asking:
Who is this about?
What do they want?
Why should I care?
Too often, content skips these steps and jumps straight to the solution. We announce the program, celebrate the outcome, or rattle off the stats — without ever letting people feel the need. But if we don’t know what the character (or community) is up against, we miss the tension. We miss the why.
It needs to be specific and strong enough to drive the character’s actions and decisions. We’re not talking about vague, feel-good goals like “be happy” or “make a difference.” We’re talking about clear, high-stakes intentions that shape what the person does next.
Things like:
Graduate high school despite systemic obstacles
Bring power to remote areas despite rough terrain and limited access
Reunite with family after navigating the asylum system
Protect public lands while facing pressure from developers
When intention is missing or passive, the story stalls. There’s no movement, no clarity, no reason to care.
Obstacle: The Source of Conflict
The obstacle is what stands in the way.
The obstacle might be external, like a failing system, a policy barrier, or a changing climate — or internal, like fear, doubt, or the pressure of carrying more than your share.
What matters is that it creates friction. Tension. Stakes.
The obstacle is what creates drama, reveals values, and drives change. And the stronger or more persistent the obstacle, the more compelling the story becomes.
How Fast Do You Need to Establish These?
One of the most important parts of this framework is timing. In storytelling, you’re always racing the clock. The faster you can establish both the intention and the obstacle, the more likely you are to keep your audience.
The platform matters, too
How quickly you need to establish these things depends on where the story lives:
Feature film: You’ve got time. People have settled in, popcorn in hand.
TV or streaming: The clock is ticking. Viewers can switch away with one click.
Social media: You have seconds, maybe less. If the audience doesn’t feel a hook right away, they’re gone.
On social media, especially, your audience is constantly scrolling. They’re not sitting in a theater, giving you the benefit of the doubt. If they don’t feel the story right away, if they don’t know who wants what, and what’s in their way, they’ll keep moving.
So for short-form content, these beats need to show up early and clearly. Not in a heavy-handed way, but in a way that grounds the viewer. A clear goal, a clear obstacle, and a reason to stick around.
Bringing It All Together
This framework works across formats, topics, and tones. Whether you’re highlighting a community leader, a health care provider, or a grassroots organizer, intention and obstacle are what make the story land.
Why does it work so well?
It gives your story natural structure (beginning: want, middle: challenge, end: result)
It keeps your team aligned around a clear arc
And most importantly, it feels human
A quick example
“A small town wants to rebuild its only school after a devastating storm, but funding is scarce and the terrain is tough — until a partnership helps bring in the equipment, people, and momentum to make it happen.”
Now you’ve got a story. Not just a description of a service, but a narrative arc your audience can relate to, root for, and remember.
What this looks like in practice
When we work with clients on content production, we’re often helping tease out these story elements — even when the subject matter is complex. We ask:
Who is at the center of this story?
What are they trying to achieve?
What’s making it difficult?
And how does your work help them get through it?
This framework works for a single video or an entire campaign. It works across platforms, formats, and audiences. And it builds trust, because it reflects real life. We all want something. We all face challenges. That’s what makes stories universal.
Because this is how life works:
We want things.
Things get in the way.
We keep going anyway.
That’s the heart of every story worth telling.
Want help finding the narrative thread in your next piece of content? That’s what we do — helping mission-driven brands turn real stories into resonant, watchable content.
