Getting the Learner's Attention

Getting people’s attention is harder than ever in today’s world of constant distractions. But maybe the real problem isn’t that our audience has short attention spans—it’s that we’re talking to the wrong part of their brain.

The Myth of the Short Attention Span

You’ve probably heard claims that the “average adult attention span” is 10, 15, or maybe 45 minutes. But if that were true, how do people sit through 11-hour marathons of The Lord of the Rings?

The truth is, attention spans aren’t inherently short. They just depend on what’s capturing them. If it’s something enjoyable, people can focus for hours. But if it’s dry, like health savings account procedures, you might be lucky to get 10 minutes.

The Elephant and the Rider: How Attention Really Works

Jonathan Haidt’s The Happiness Hypothesis presents a helpful analogy: The brain is like a rider on an elephant. The rider represents logical, controlled thought—the part of us that makes plans and knows what’s best long-term. The elephant is our emotions, instincts, and gut reactions—the part that craves instant gratification and novelty.

We often overestimate the rider’s control. If you’ve ever told yourself, “I really need to wake up,” while your hand presses snooze anyway, you’ve lost a battle to the elephant.

To truly capture attention, you have to engage the elephant. Here’s how:

9 Ways to Hook the Elephant’s Attention

1. Use Urgency – The elephant lives in the now. Instead of talking about far-off consequences, highlight immediate impacts.

2. Show, Don’t Tell – The elephant won’t take your word for it. Use visuals, actions, and real-life examples instead of heavy explanations.

3. Tell a Story – Stories with a protagonist, obstacles, and tension naturally engage emotions and hold interest.

4. Create Dilemmas – People love making choices. Give them a challenge, like deciding which three actions save the most energy.

5. Surprise It – Unexpected twists or rewards make the brain light up.

6. Leave Information Out – A little mystery, like a well-crafted headline, sparks curiosity and compels people to learn more.

7. Create Dissonance – When something challenges our existing beliefs (e.g., a purple dog), we feel the need to resolve it.

8. Make It Visceral – Engage the senses. Abstract concepts bore the elephant, but real experiences stick.

9. Show That Others Are Doing It – We’re wired to follow the crowd. Making social proof visible draws in attention.

The Key to Effortless Attention

If you engage both the logical rider and the emotional elephant, attention will feel effortless. Ignore the elephant, and you’re stuck relying on willpower—which runs out fast.

So, next time you need to capture attention, don’t just craft a logical argument. Find a way to make the elephant lean in, and you’ll keep your audience hooked.