Tag: persistence

I’m revisiting one of my favourite concepts today — not because it’s new, but because it quietly shapes far more of our thinking than we’d like to admit.

It’s called the Illusory Truth Effect.

In simple terms, it’s our tendency to believe something is true simply because we’ve heard it repeated often enough — regardless of whether it actually is.

We all know not everything we hear is true. And yet, repetition has a strange way of slipping past our logic and settling in as fact.

Why Our Brains Fall for It

On average, we make tens of thousands of decisions every single day. To cope with that volume, our brains rely on shortcuts. Familiarity becomes a stand-in for truth.

Here’s a quick example. Don’t overthink it — just answer instinctively:

If it takes 5 machines 5 minutes to make 5 engines,

how long would it take 100 machines to make 100 engines?

Most people’s first reaction is the wrong answer.

Not because they’re unintelligent — but because the brain rushes to familiarity instead of logic.

That same shortcut is what makes repetition so powerful.

When logic takes effort, familiarity feels safe.

Repetition Can Override Reality

There have been countless studies on the illusory truth effect, and the conclusion is uncomfortable: our brains are wired to trust repetition.

That means:

What we hear from others What’s repeated in the media What’s shared socially What “everyone says”

…all quietly shape what we accept as truth.

Over time, opinions harden into beliefs. Beliefs harden into facts. And eventually, facts stop being questioned at all.

This is how false narratives spread — not because people are stupid, but because they’re human.

When Excuses Masquerade as Truth

Here’s where it gets interesting.

Many widely accepted “truths” start as excuses.

Someone struggles. Instead of asking why, they offer a reason that feels more comfortable. Someone else repeats it. Then another. And eventually, the explanation becomes the accepted story.

“It’s harder now.”

“Things have changed.”

“People don’t behave the way they used to.”

Maybe.

Or maybe not.

Once something is repeated often enough, we stop testing it. We stop challenging it. And worst of all — we stop taking responsibility.

At that point, it’s no longer a misunderstanding.

It’s a choice.

Awareness Changes Everything

The moment we understand how this works, the power shifts.

Because once you recognise the illusory truth effect, you get to decide:

What you question What you repeat What you allow to shape your thinking

You’re no longer at the mercy of familiarity. You’re back in control of discernment.

And that’s incredibly freeing.

A Thought Worth Sitting With

We’re often told that people need to hear something multiple times before they believe it.

That cuts both ways.

If repetition can embed falsehoods, it can also reinforce clarity, confidence, and truth — when used deliberately.

So the real question becomes:

What ideas are you reinforcing — consciously or otherwise?

Because the stories we repeat don’t just influence others.

They quietly shape us too.

Sometimes the most valuable thing we can do isn’t learn something new — but unlearn something we’ve been hearing for far too long.

There’s a quiet skill that sits behind almost every successful outcome — and it’s one many people underestimate.

Follow-up.

Not the flashy first conversation.

Not the pitch.

Not the presentation or the idea.

What happens after.

The truth is, very few meaningful decisions are made on first contact. Whether it’s business, opportunities, or commitments of any kind, the first interaction is rarely enough.

And yet, most people behave as if it should be.

Nearly half of people never follow up at all after an initial conversation.

Only a small minority persist beyond two or three touchpoints.

And many stop completely after hearing a single “no”.

That’s not strategy.

That’s discomfort.

“No” Rarely Means Never

One of the biggest misunderstandings in decision-making is how we interpret rejection.

We hear “no” and assume the conversation is over.

In reality, “no” often means:

Not now Not sure yet I need more information I haven’t prioritised this I’m busy I’m undecided

Studies consistently show that people often say “no” several times before they eventually say “yes”. Most positive decisions only happen after multiple points of contact — not because people are difficult, but because decision-making takes time.

The problem isn’t that people aren’t interested.

It’s that we stop showing up too soon.

Follow-Up Isn’t Chasing — It’s Commitment

There’s a reason follow-up feels uncomfortable for so many people.

It requires resilience.

It requires confidence.

And it requires the ability to sit with uncertainty without taking it personally.

But following up isn’t about pressure. It’s about professionalism.

It says:

I care enough to check back in I respect that decisions take time I’m still here if you need clarity

The people who follow up consistently aren’t annoying — they’re reliable.

And reliability builds trust.

Different People Respond in Different Ways

Another mistake we make is assuming there’s one “right” way to reconnect.

Some people respond to calls.

Others prefer written messages.

Some like reminders.

Some need space — followed by a gentle nudge.

The key isn’t volume.

It’s variation.

Changing the way you show up — rather than disappearing altogether — keeps the conversation alive without forcing it.

Consistency doesn’t mean repetition.

It means presence.

The Question Worth Asking

So here’s the real reflection:

How many opportunities are still open — simply because they were never properly followed up?

Not lost.

Not rejected.

Just left unfinished.

Progress often isn’t about doing something new.

It’s about returning to what was already started — with curiosity instead of assumption.

Most people quit one step too early.

So remember 9 times out of 10: They Didn’t Say No. You Just Took the Hint Too Early.

We love to believe that effort guarantees results.

That if we explain something well enough, train people hard enough, or repeat ourselves often enough, outcomes will follow.

Sometimes they do.

Often they don’t.

Because effort is only effective when it’s supported by visibility.

Humans are visual creatures. We respond instinctively to what’s in front of us. What we see feels familiar, and what feels familiar feels safe. Safe choices are easy choices.

I recently saw a situation where something almost accidentally visible outperformed hours of deliberate effort.

That wasn’t because people didn’t care or weren’t capable. It was because behaviour follows awareness, not instruction.

If something relies on being explained to succeed, it’s fragile.

If something is obvious, it’s powerful.

This is where so many good ideas fall down. They’re hidden behind assumptions. Tucked away, poorly placed, or treated as if people will naturally go looking for them.

They won’t.

If something matters, it has to be seen.

If it isn’t seen, it might as well not exist.

We like to think we’re rational decision-makers.

We’re not.

We are emotional creatures who occasionally use logic to justify ourselves.

Every buying decision — personal or professional — comes down to one of two reasons:

I need it.

I want it.

That’s it.

We don’t buy because of features, statistics, or clever explanations. Those things help us feel comfortable after the decision has already been made.

Desire leads. Logic follows.

This is why over-explaining so often backfires. When we drown people in information, we assume we’re helping. In reality, we’re asking them to think when they’re wired to feel.

People don’t need more detail.

They need clarity.

Clarity about why something matters.

Clarity about how it fits into their world.

Once that’s clear, the decision becomes simple.

Most people look for success at the end of the process.

They wait for the moment it all clicks — the result, the sale, the breakthrough, the confirmation that something worked.

But by the time that moment arrives, the outcome has already been decided.

The real work happens earlier. Much earlier.

Wins are built in the routines we establish before there’s pressure. In the standards we set when enthusiasm is high. In the effort we’re willing to put in at the start, when results are still invisible.

This is where most people get it wrong. They conserve energy early and expect momentum later. When things don’t move fast enough, they push harder — adding pressure where structure should have existed.

Momentum doesn’t respond well to force.

It responds to rhythm.

When the beginning is intentional, the middle becomes easier and the end feels inevitable. When it isn’t, everything feels like uphill work.

If you find yourself constantly having to “kick things back into life”, it’s worth asking: what did the start look like?

Because growth rarely breaks down at the finish line.

It breaks down at the starting blocks.

Price is one of the most misunderstood signals in decision-making.

It’s regularly treated as an obstacle, a barrier, something to be apologised for or explained away.

But when it comes to things we want, price often does the opposite.

A higher price communicates confidence. It signals quality, desirability, and status — often before we understand anything else about the product, service, or experience.

We don’t want certain things despite their price.

We want them because of it.

The problem isn’t the number.

It’s the story we attach to it.

When price feels abstract, it feels heavy. When it’s broken down into real-world usage, it often becomes surprisingly light.

We rarely question the small, habitual costs in our lives. Coffee. Convenience. Comfort. But we hesitate over things that promise real, lasting value — simply because we’ve labelled them “expensive”.

Luxury feels indulgent in theory.

It often isn’t in practice.

Once value is understood, price stops being the villain.