• Ruckus Makers
  • Posts
  • Are You Tired of Repeating Yourself? Good. Keep Going.

Are You Tired of Repeating Yourself? Good. Keep Going.

Author

Danny Bauer
December 09, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

Let's cut through the digital noise for a sec.

Ever catch yourself saying something for the millionth time and thinking, "If I have to repeat this ONE more time..."?

Here’s some news that might make you squirm: That moment when you're absolutely sick of your message? That's exactly when people are finally starting to listen.

Wild, right? In a world where we're drowning in 10,000+ ads daily, this counterintuitive truth might just be your secret weapon. Here's why your communication repetition fatigue could be your biggest asset...

First time reading? Sign up here and join 3,840 learning to Do School Different 🎉

INSPIRATION STATION

It’s okay to steal — Feel free to share any of these links and how we write about them and drop ‘em right into your staff newsletter this week.

A MESSAGE FROM IXL

Still Teaching to the Middle?

Over 1 million teachers already ditched the one-size-fits-all approach. 

IXL's adaptive platform automatically identifies knowledge gaps and adjusts difficulty for each student in real-time. No more "I taught it, they should've learned it." 

With personalized growth plans and immediate insights, your teachers can disrupt the status quo of traditional instruction.

THE RUCKUS MAKER MONTHLY THEME: COMPELLING COMMUNICATION

Are You Tired of Repeating Yourself? Good. Keep Going.

Former LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner has a theory that makes marketing folks squirm: People don't start hearing your message until you're completely sick of saying it.

Pause. Let that sink in.

You know that feeling when you've said something so many times you could recite it in your sleep? When you're convinced if you have to explain your schoOL’S VISION ONE MORE TIME you might actually explode?

That's exactly when your audience is just starting to tune in 👀

Think about it...

We're bombarded with around 10,000 ads daily (and that's a conservative estimate). Our brains are basically running an industrial-grade spam filter 24/7. So when you're on your 1st, 5th, or even 20th time sharing your message, it's competing with:

  • That weird TikTok your friend just sent

  • The deadline you're definitely going to miss

  • Whether you remembered to feed the dog

  • That embarrassing thing you said in 2007

Your carefully crafted message is fighting for attention in a mind that's already playing defense against an endless content tsunami.

But here's where it gets interesting...

Marketing legend Thomas Smith wrote in 1885 that it takes 20 views of an ad before someone makes a purchase. In 1885!

  • Before smartphones …

  • Before social media …

  • Before we all developed the attention span of a caffeinated goldfish.

Modern research suggests we need even more touches now. Some say 7, others say 13, while some argue it takes 30+ exposures before a message really lands.

The real kicker?

While you're drowning in message fatigue, your staff is just beginning to:

  • Notice you exist

  • Actually hear what you're saying

  • Consider taking action

Examples of getting it right:

  • Apple spent years telling us to "Think Different" until it became part of our cultural DNA

  • Nike's "Just Do It" probably made their marketing team want to "Just Stop It" years ago

  • Geico's "15 minutes could save you 15%" has been running so long it could qualify for a driver's license

  • And if you consider yourself a Ruckus Maker, you know what podcast you’re listening to 📲

The secret sauce?

They didn't stop when they got bored. They stopped when it worked.

So next time you're tempted to change your message because you're tired of it, remember: That fatigue isn't a bug – it's a feature. It's the price of admission for actually being heard in a world where attention is the scarcest resource.

Besides, as Weiner might say, if you're not slightly embarrassed by how many times you've repeated yourself, you probably haven't said it enough.

BTW: This article probably needs to be read at least seven more times before it really sinks in. Just saying. 😉

❝

Great communication begins with connection.

Oprah

SWAG CENTRAL

🎨 Your Walls Called — They're Tired of Playing It Safe

Forget those motivational posters with soaring eagles and corporate buzzwords.

The Ruckus Makers Are Changing the World Canvas is here to transform your workspace from "yawn-inducing faculty lounge" to "educational revolution headquarters."

Bonus: Pairs perfectly with that rebel spirit of yours and those "but we've always done it this way" tears.

Ready to turn your office into mission control for educational change? Claim your canvas before conformity claims another victim 👇

MONDAY VIBES

WEEKLY CHALLENGE

Use AI to add metaphor so your communication is even more effective.

Post this prompt into your favorite AI tool:

I’m writing [DESCRIBE YOUR AUDIENCE] an email on [DESCRIBE THE TOPIC].

Help me add metaphors so that my communication is even more effective.

Identify 3-5 metaphors that will help me land this idea more powerfully and show me where I can integrate the metaphors into the content I have written.

Here's what I wrote so far: [PASTE YOUR WRITING HERE]

How did you like today's newsletter?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Monday Motivation was written by Danny

Reply

or to participate.