Master timing to meet minds at the right moment

Imagine you’re at a parade: the band’s in full swing and the crowd’s energy peaks—with cheers and camera phones raised high. That’s a moment of truth: everyone’s attention is aligned. Now imagine you launch your product demo or your fundraising ask right then, instead of when people trudge back to their cars after the show.

Moments of truth are those windows when our mental bandwidth—or motivation—lines up perfectly with a message. Behavioral economists call this the “fresh start effect”: people pursue goals more eagerly after milestones like birthdays, Mondays, or the start of a new month. Class attendance peaks on Tuesdays at 10 AM; gym traffic surges between 5 PM and 7 PM. In a landmark field test, reminders sent the day before a court date increased show-up rates by 8 percent. That simple timing tweak saved thousands in needless arrest warrants.

You can create moments of truth too. The key is to tie your ask to an existing mental landmark, or to inject a new one. Want more employees to take cybersecurity training? Schedule it right after the quarterly all-hands, when everyone’s settled in. Launch your survey at the end of a successful meeting, then nudge for responses as people walk out the door. Charities send donation requests at year-end, when donors reflect on impact and tax deductions.

Treat timing not as an afterthought but as your first tool. Find each person’s “aha” window—when their Gator mind is alert and motivated. With carefully placed nudges, you’ll be guiding people to say yes without chasing them down. That’s the power of meeting minds at the right moment.

Identify one critical action you want your audience to take. Then ask yourself: “When are they already primed?” Could it be after a meeting, at the top of the hour, or on a milestone date? Align your ask with that moment—whether it’s a short email blast, a timely reminder text, or a social media post timed for peak scroll. Experiment with two different anchors this week to see which captures attention.