TIMING FOR PERSUASION
“wait for the environment to make your idea imaginable. then strike.”
The Lesson
Persuasion requires priming. If your message has no match in someone's current experience, it bounces off. Pointing to history ('experts were wrong before') is weak. Pointing to current news ('experts are wrong right now, you're seeing it') is powerful. The two situations don't need logical connection. They just need to make your idea imaginable. Wait for the environment to create the right conditions, then deliver your message. If people can't easily imagine your claim being possible, timing is wrong. The environment does the heavy lifting; you just need to recognize when it's ready.
Real-World Example
A founder wants to convince investors that incumbents will fail. Saying 'Blockbuster failed' is weak-ancient history. Then a current market leader stumbles publicly. The founder strikes: 'You're watching it happen right now. Same pattern.' The current event made disruption imaginable. Same pitch, different timing, different outcome.
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