Not an Argument, but a Movement
Here's a mistake I see a lot. A writer chooses a topic they happen to be interested in and then asks: okay, how do I write about this persuasively? Then the next week they move on to a different topic. Then another topic. And then they wonder why no one gives a damn.
Impact doesn't come from a single blog post, speech, or podcast. It happens over time by training people to think about some aspect of life in a new way.
This often leads to the advice: you need to pick a topic and specialize! You need to be the energy guy or the healthcare gal. And that's good advice. Specialization is a really powerful way to develop your message and change people's thinking.
But if you're like me, the idea of specializing on a topic sounds like torture. And it isn't necessary. What you need to specialize in is not a topic but a problem.
Think of Jordan Peterson. In one sense, he talks about everything. But in another sense, he's always talking about the same thing: our need to find meaning by adopting responsibility. Or think of Sam Harris. Underneath all of the various topics he tackles is a single crusade: to convince people to adopt high epistemological standards.
When you specialize on a problem, you can do something more than make a persuasive argument: you can create a movement. And it's by creating a movement that you can actually have an impact on the world.
I don't necessarily mean a formal movement. I mean that you are positioning yourself as a crusader who is addressing a pressing problem and offering a solution that will lead to a better future--and you're giving your audience a clear path to helping you promote that future.
That's what Apple did. Apple saw the world is filled with ugly, awkward, shoddy products that users at best tolerated. It positioned itself as a crusader for beautiful products that users loved to use.
Anyone could join Apple's movement by buying Apple products and advertising to the world they were Apple people. They were more discerning and more creative because they wouldn't settle for the PC universe just because it was popular. Their symbol, in the early years, was the iPod's white headphones. Wearing those made you part of the Apple movement. They showed you cared about beauty.
If you want to have impact, create a movement. Solve a crucial problem, show that your solution is superior, make your case unforgettable, then hammer that message home--and give your audience a clear path to join you. Tell them exactly what they can do to signal that they're on your team and to help make your vision a reality.
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