Ever share what you thought was a groundbreaking idea, only to have it slip from your audience's memory like sand through their fingers? You're not alone. The challenge of creating truly memorable writing haunts even the most experienced authors and thought leaders. What makes good writing isn't just about crafting beautiful sentences or following grammatical rules – it's about creating ideas that stick, concepts that lodge themselves in your readers' minds and refuse to let go. Welcome to the science of what I call "Sticky IP."
The Psychology of Forgetting: Why Even Brilliant Ideas Fade
Picture this familiar scenario: You've just finished reading a mind-blowing article or attended an inspiring seminar. Your mind is buzzing with insights, connections are firing, and you can't wait to share these revelations with others. But when you try to explain these concepts the next day, something strange happens. It's like trying to describe a vivid dream hours after waking – the details are frustratingly fuzzy, the connections mysteriously vanished, and that crystal-clear understanding has somehow turned murky.
This isn't just a random occurrence or a quirk of memory. Research by psychologists Kornell and Bjork reveals a fascinating truth about human memory: we consistently and dramatically overestimate how well we'll remember new information. It's like being the optimistic protagonist in a romantic comedy, certain that this new relationship (with an idea) will last forever. Reality, however, tells a different story, and understanding why this happens is crucial for anyone seeking to create memorable writing.
The Complex Web of Memory: How Our Brains Process New Ideas
When we encounter new information, our brain doesn't simply file it away in a neat mental folder, like storing a document on a computer. Instead, it creates an intricate web of connections with our existing knowledge and memories. This process works remarkably differently for experts and novices, and understanding this difference is key to creating writing that sticks.
For experts in a field, new information fits naturally into an existing framework of knowledge. It's like adding a book to a well-organized library, where the cataloging system is already in place and the new addition easily finds its proper shelf. Their minds have already created strong neural pathways and organizing principles that help them process and retain new information in their domain of expertise.
For novices, however, the experience is vastly different. New concepts often get tangled up with unrelated memories and associations, like trying to find a specific book in a cluttered, disorganized room where nothing has a proper place. Robert Crowder's inhibition theory explains this phenomenon, showing why making ideas stick requires more than just clear presentation – it needs strategic packaging that helps readers create their own organizational systems.
The Art of Sticky IP: Engineering Memorable Ideas
This is where the concept of Sticky IP comes into play. It's not just about making ideas memorable – it's about packaging them in a way that makes them engaging, actionable, and impossible to forget. Think of Simon Sinek's Golden Circle – a simple three-circle diagram that has become a cultural touchstone for leadership and communication. Its power lies not just in its simplicity, but in how it creates a complete mental framework for understanding leadership and motivation.
The Insight Equation: A Formula for Memorability
To create truly sticky prose, we need to optimize what I call the Insight Equation:
Impact = (Relevance × Shift) ÷ (Complexity × Blame)
This isn't just a clever mathematical expression – it's a practical tool for engineering memorable ideas. Let's dive deep into each variable:
Relevance:Â This measures how much your idea matters to your reader's life, work, or worldview. The more directly it connects to their experiences and challenges, the higher the relevance score. It's about making your reader think, "Yes, this matters to me!"
Shift: This represents how much your idea changes existing beliefs or behaviors. A small shift might refine current understanding, while a large shift could completely transform how someone thinks about a topic. The key is finding the sweet spot – enough of a shift to be interesting, but not so much that it triggers resistance.
Complexity: This isn't just about how complicated your idea is – it's about how many mental steps it takes to grasp it. The goal isn't necessarily to make everything simple, but to make it as simple as it needs to be while preserving its essential power.
Blame:Â This measures how much your idea might make readers feel criticized or defensive. The lower you can keep this number while maintaining your message's integrity, the more likely your ideas are to stick.
The Three Pillars of Sticky IP
1. The Conceptual Scaffold
Great ideas need strong structures to support them, just as buildings need physical scaffolding during construction. Consider Barbara Fredrickson's "Broaden and Build" theory of emotion – a complex psychological concept made accessible through a simple, two-part structure. The theory explains how positive emotions first broaden our awareness and then build our psychological resources. This clear structure makes a sophisticated idea feel intuitive and memorable.
2. The Power of Memorable Naming
The right name can make an idea unforgettable. Think about terms like "Emotional Intelligence," "Growth Mindset," or "Analysis Paralysis." These aren't just labels – they're cognitive shortcuts that encapsulate complex concepts in memorable, shareable packages. As Chip and Dan Heath discuss in "Made to Stick," finding your idea's "Commander's Intent" – its essential core – is crucial for memorable communication.
3. The Art of Compelling Examples
Examples are the sensory language of ideas, transforming abstract concepts into concrete understanding. Malcolm Gladwell masterfully demonstrates this in "The Tipping Point" when he uses the story of the Impressionist painters to explain social thresholds. The best examples don't just illustrate – they illuminate, creating those precious "aha moments" that make ideas stick.
Practical Implementation: Bringing It All Together
Creating sticky writing isn't just about understanding these principles – it's about applying them systematically to your work. Start with a clear structure that supports your ideas. Develop memorable names that capture your concepts' essence. Choose examples that resonate emotionally and intellectually with your audience.
But remember, the goal isn't just to make your writing memorable – it's to create lasting change in how people think and act. When you successfully combine these elements, you create what I call "transformative memorability" – ideas that don't just stick in people's minds but actually change how they see and interact with the world.
Join Our Community of Writers
Ready to master the art of creating unforgettable prose? Join our thriving community of writers, authors, and content creators. As a member, you'll get exclusive access to:
Free webinars with industry experts exploring advanced writing techniques
Interactive workshops on creating memorable content
Networking sessions with successful authors and publishers
Weekly writing tips and techniques based on the latest research
Early access to new Write It Great resources
Sign up for our email list today and become part of a community dedicated to mastering the craft of writing.
Works Cited
Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2007). Made to stick: Why some ideas survive and others die. Random House.
Kornell, N., & Bjork, R. A. (2009). A stability bias in human memory: Overestimating remembering and underestimating learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 138(4), 449-468.
Crowder, R. G. (1976). Principles of learning and memory. Lawrence Erlbaum.
Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218-226.
Comments