Knowing how to capture and hold attention is the greatest skill of the 21st century.

I call it digital persuasion.

It doesn’t matter if you’re creating content, doing outreach, or writing sales pages… this is the most important skill you can learn.

In today’s letter, I’m revealing the exact protocol I’ve used to master digital persuasion in content creation and social media writing.

Before we dive in, last week I released my free “Digital Writing Foundations” ebook. It breaks down the essential first principles of social media writing that most creators never share.

Get instant access here and see immediate results.

Let’s dive in:

Getting attention used to be much harder.

When I was a kid, I remember this woman in my town who walked the streets yelling “FRESH VEGETABLES!” over and over until she lost her voice. She would do this for hours hoping someone would stop and buy.

Salesmen had it rough too. They knocked on doors for 8 hours straight, repeating the same lines hundreds of times. “Hi, I’m with…” Most people didn’t even listen. They did this (and some are still doing it) 5-6 days in a row and faced rejection after rejection.

That was the only way to get customers before. You had to physically go out, make noise, and hope someone paid attention.

Now it’s different. You can post content online and get results right away. You can start today and have your first follower by tonight. You can make your first sale this week.

You don’t have to walk until your feet hurt. You don’t have to yell until your throat is sore. You don’t have to face people shutting doors in your face.

The internet lets you reach thousands of people while sitting on your couch. What used to take weeks of physical work can happen in minutes online.

But just because it’s easier doesn’t mean it’s automatic.

You need to be strategic about how you capture and hold attention.

The Psychology of Attention

People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it.

- Simon Sinek

Understand this:

Humans are not logical.

They are emotional creatures who justify their decisions with logic after they’ve already made them.

Most people haven’t trained themselves to escape their ego. They don’t make choices based on data. They make them based on instinct, desire, and status.

If you understand this, you become powerful.

Creating content isn’t about throwing information into the void. It’s about guiding perception, shaping narratives, and moving people to action.

The Ego is the Attention Gatekeeper

Your reader’s ego is like a pet.

It wants to be fed.

Ignore it, and it wanders off.

Give it the right kind of attention, and it sticks around.

The secret to holding attention is to make people feel seen, validated, challenged, or provoked:

• Feed the ego – Make them feel intelligent, capable, ahead of the curve.
• Starve the ego – Call them out on their blind spots, make them rethink their beliefs.

A great creator doesn’t just share ideas. They create tension. They take the audience on an emotional arc – one that makes them feel curious, surprised, frustrated, relieved, or motivated.

The most addictive books, films, and speeches don’t just inform. They move people. They create a feeling so strong that the audience has to see what happens next.

Your writing should do the same.

I teach all of this and more in Threads OS.

How to Capture Attention (The 10 Rules of Capturing Attention)

The first step in this protocol is understanding what pulls people in (aka how to capture attention).

Here’s what I want you to do:

Next time you scroll online, watch what makes you stop scrolling. Look closely at what caught your eye and why you wanted to keep looking at it.

There are many ways to capture attention, but I’ve found these to be the most effective:

1. Specific Numbers

Numbers feel concrete, undeniable, specific.

They give the brain an anchor.

Vague statements are forgettable, but numbers provide an exact frame of reference.

• “7 habits that kill your focus”
• “90% of people fail because of this one mistake”
• “I lost 37 pounds by eating more, not less”

Why it works:

Numbers create curiosity because they make a claim feel tangible.

If a headline says, “People fail at this”, the reader’s brain doesn’t have an anchor.

But if it says, “90% of people fail at this”, the brain immediately wants to know: Why 90%? Am I in that group? What do they know that I don’t?

More examples:

• “23,847 people have used this framework to double their income.”
• “5 little-known techniques that elite performers use to stay sharp.”
• “Only 1% of people understand this concept. Here’s why it matters:”

2. Negative Bias (Pain > Pleasure)

People care more about avoiding pain than chasing gains.

Instead of saying:

‘’Here’s how to become successful’’

Say:

‘’If you don’t do this, you’ll never be successful’’

Examples:

• “Most productivity hacks are making you less productive.”
• “Tired all the time? It’s not your fault but it is your responsibility.”
• “You’re not failing because you’re lazy. You’re failing because your system is broken.”

Why it works:

The brain is wired to prioritize survival.

This means it focuses more on threats than rewards.

A single negative event sticks in memory far longer than a positive one.

By tapping into this bias, you grab attention immediately.

More examples:

• “Stop doing X if you want to get rich”
• “Why ‘follow your passion’ is terrible career advice.”
• “The biggest myth about weight loss that’s keeping you stuck.”

3. Group Call Out

When people see something about them, they stop.

• “If you’re in your 20s, read this.”
• “Crypto traders, this one’s for you.”
• “Calling all freelancers tired of chasing clients.”

Why it works:

People love to belong to a group, and they also love seeing themselves in content.

Even if they aren’t part of the group being called out, they will self-reflect and compare themselves to it.

This sparks engagement.

More examples:

• “If you’re a father, read this”
• “Digital writers, avoid this mistake.”
• “Entrepreneurs, this is why your business isn’t growing.”

4. Name the Problem

People love hearing their struggles put into words.

• “You’re not overwhelmed. You just can’t say no.”
• “You don’t have writer’s block. You have ‘fear of looking stupid’ block.”
• “Your business isn’t failing because of competition. It’s failing because no one understands what you do.”

Why it works:

When someone reads something and thinks, “That’s me”, they keep reading.

Recognizing their pain in someone else’s words gives them relief and curiosity.

More examples:

• “You don’t need more motivation. You need better habits.”
• “You’re not bad with money. You just weren’t taught how it works.”
• “Your problem isn’t social anxiety. It’s that you don’t trust yourself.”

5. Promise a Clear Benefit

People want to know, “What’s in it for me?”

• “Lose fat without tracking a single calorie.”
• “The fastest way to grow online without burning out.”
• “A simple tweak to make your writing 10x more engaging.”

Why it works:

People are motivated by self-interest.

If you offer a benefit that sounds valuable and achievable, they will want to know more.

More examples:

• “How to earn more while working 2 hours a day.”
• “Double your energy levels with this 5-minute habit.”
• “One simple trick to instantly sound more confident.”

6. Leverage Social Proof

People trust proof more than claims.

• “500,000 people have read this thread. Here’s why.”
• “I built a six-figure business from scratch. Here’s how.”
• “I’ve been writing online for 3 years. Here’s what actually works.”

Why it works:

Humans are social creatures.

We assume that if many people trust something, it must be worth paying attention to.

More examples:

• “Over 1 million people have tried this framework.”
• “I coached 100+ clients on this. Here’s what I learned.”
• “The best-selling book that changed my mindset forever.”

7. Speak with Conviction

If you sound unsure, people will keep scrolling.

Instead of:

• “It may be helpful to develop your skills.”

Say:

• “If you don’t develop your skills, you will be replaceable.”

Why it works:

People crave certainty.

They want leaders, not tentative suggestions.

Bold statements create trust.

More examples:

• “Hard truth: No one is coming to save you.”
• “Master communication, and you can master any career.”
• “If you don’t build leverage, you’ll be stuck working for others forever.”

8. Warn Them, Protect Them

People love knowing what not to do.

• “New to fitness? Don’t make this mistake:”
• “Avoid these three habits (they kill your confidence):”
• “The biggest mistake new writers make (and how to fix it):”

Why it works:

Fear of loss is more powerful than the promise of gain.

People pay more attention to avoiding mistakes than chasing success.

More examples:

• “The #1 habit killing your focus (and how to fix it):”
• “Why most businesses fail before they even start:”
• “The worst career mistake you can make in your 20s:”

9. Use an Active Voice

Passive voice kills engagement.

It’s weak. Unclear. Boring.

Instead of:

• “Mistakes were made.”

Say:

• “I made a huge mistake (and it almost ruined my business).”

Why it works:

An active voice creates immediacy and impact.

It pulls people in.

10. Pattern Interrupts

People scroll like zombies.

Your job is to snap them out of it.

If everything in their feed is serious, post something absurd.

If everyone is posting paragraphs, use a single sentence.

If they’re used to text, a striking image or video will catch their eye.

Why it works:

The human brain is wired to ignore familiar patterns.

It conserves energy by filtering out anything that looks repetitive.

When you disrupt that pattern, even for a split second, you force the brain to wake up.

Examples:

• “If you hate mornings, read this.”
• “Online gurus are lying to you about success.”
• “Your productivity ‘’hack’’ is making you dumber.”

How to Hold Attention (The Real Game)

The second part of this protocol is holding attention.

This is critical because getting attention is easy.

Keeping it is where the leverage is.

1) Structure Matters

• Your openers must be bold and punchy.
• Use spacing. No walls of text. No one reads them.
• Guide the eye. Lists, dashes, bold words. Direct their focus.
• Make it effortless to consume. Short sentences. Strong statements.
• Break patterns. A joke, a question, a challenge. Keep them engaged.

If they stop reading because it’s hard to read, you’ve already lost.

2) Novelty Wins

Avoid repetition.

People appreciate reminders, but too many make them tune out:

• Tell your own stories. Those can’t be copied.
• Reference books, movies, or history to make old lessons feel new.
• Use fresh metaphors: “Your brain is a messy room. Here’s how to clean it up.”

Novel ideas trigger dopamine.

Dopamine keeps people reading.

How to Create Engagement (People Remember How You Made Them Feel)

And the last part of this protocol is knowing what makes people engage with your content.

Here’s something I learned the hard way: Most people won’t remember the details of what you write. But they’ll remember how it made them feel.

Naval Ravikant has said many things. But people remember him because his words stirred something in them.

Your job as a creator is to create an experience:

• Inspire them.
• Educate them.
• Entertain them.
• Make them think.

Do this, and you won’t just get readers.

You’ll build loyal readers.

The kind that come back.

The kind that spread your work.

And that’s where the real leverage is.

Thank you for reading!

J