Our brains are hardwired to IGNORE most things because we don’t have the time (or energy) to pay attention to e-very-thing in our environment.

Our brains are also hardwired to pay ATTENTIONto things that STAND OUT in our environment.

Remember the scene in The Matrix when the woman in the red dress walks by Neo, and he can’t help but look?

Many markets have matured to the point where you can’t just scream the same benefits they’ve heard over and over again…

In Eugene Schwartz’s Breakthrough Advertising model, this is the 4th-5th stage of market sophistication. 

You need a different approach to bypass people’s “been there, heard that” filters.

And the best way to do this, is to present surprising or counterintuitive ideas to what they already believe. 

Here are a few examples: 

____________

The Keto Diet 

Lose weight by eating lots of meat and fat. 

Atomic Habits (Book) 

Instead of setting goals, build tiny habits instead.

The Obstacle Is The Way (Book) 

Obstacles present the biggest opportunities. 

Niching Down

 Instead of serving everyone, focus on a small niche you can dominate.

____________

These ideas challenge a norm, instead of affirming what someone already believes. They’re instantly memorable, because they go against the grain.

In my personal life, everyone used to tell me comfort and security comes from playing it safe. From getting a good education and finding a stable job. 

However, I’ve found the exact opposite to be true. 

I’ve found comfort and security from taking risks (a counterintuitive idea). Starting my business was a huge risk, but has given me incredible freedom and comfort. 

I’m sure you can relate? 

So the question remains… 

How Do You Come Up With Counterintuitive Content Ideas?

The following process will help you come up with unlimited ideas that follow this counterintuitive content model:

1. Make a list of the most common problems and questions your audience experiences in your niche (you should be doing this anyway if you’re consistently creating content). 

If you’re stuck, try this:

a. Brainstorm the problems and challenges you had when you first started

b. Browse Reddit and Quora to see what common questions people have

c. Browse the comment section from other experts/influencers in your niche and see what questions people are asking 

2. Pick a topic and ask yourself…

a. What is something people believe to be true, but is actually false? (or vice versa)

b. What do people think is good, but is actually bad?

c. What does everyone ignore, but is actually essential?

d. What do people think is impossible, but is actually possible?

e. What do people believe is unconnected, but actually is? 

3. Think about your own experience and results 

a. What are things you do, that few others in your industry do?

b. What beliefs do you have that are responsible for your results (that others may not)?

Try this process if you want to avoid your reader thinking, “Oh I know this already.” 

Of course, this is only the first step — you still have to outline, write (or record) your content. And spend time crafting the title, image and hook. 

But it’s the most essential step since the rest of your content is centered around this one main idea. 

And remember: when you start creating counterintuitive content, not every piece you put out will be a Blockbuster. Like most things in business, it’s a numbers game. 

But the more you do this, the more you’ll start seeing patterns in what works (and what doesn’t). Then you double down on what’s working. 

Try this out for your next 5-10 pieces of content. I think you’ll be surprised at the boost in your engagement, 

Until next time,

— Tony Wang