The checkout page has a countdown timer. The dreaded countdown which feeds into FOMO. Should I grab for the straw?
I only noticed this later on when I realised what I had done. At the time, it was 11:42pm on a Thursday in April, laptop balanced in my knees, the rest of the home was dark, and everyone was in bed – where I should have been at that time. The countdown timer was in front of me, counting down. I know it is a sales technique, and usually am aware of it, but for some reason at this late hour I was oblivious. Why was everyone else able to fall asleep and I was still up, trying to sort out my life and get things done? Why could I not get things in order?
Then I saw the course being offered and the promise of an organised life: simpler, and with more free time on my hands. The community that was offered, the multiple videos, lifetime access, the templates and bonus module. Even an option of one on one with the creator of the course. Oooh, how could I not do it? It was a promotion sale – instead of the usual price of €1,400 it was reduced to €495, but only available for the next 18 minutes.
What did I do?
I clicked on it and paid in full. How could I say no after reading the reviews and falling for the positive hype?
Just for the record, this was not the first straw that I clutched. There have been some self-help books along the way, some podcasts and videos as well. Nothing seemed to stick, none of them worked. They were all selling themselves as successful and one-size-fits all. Everybody would benefit from it and it would improve their lives.
None of it worked for me. It didn’t change or improve any aspect of my life. All it did was fill up my time and help me learn some things about myself and what does not work for me. It may work for those selling it – good for them. One size really does not fit all, and everyone’s life is different.
How did the course find me then?
Well, we are all within the whole interweb world. While I was not actively looking for the course, I was however researching certain topics relating to it. Some of the information I found was inspiring, and that motivated me to continue. So, of course, the world of funneling did what it was created to do – and the course was funneled into my feed. It sounded amazing at first.
It was selling me a version of myself that I could possibly see. A person who has achieved the goal I was aiming for. The testimonials were from the people who had completed the course. The private community or Facebook group was full of the people who were successful. It did not occur to me until much later: what about the people who had given up, like me? They did not find it relatable either.
I had begun the course with enthusiasm and motivation. After all, I had paid a lot of money for it and believed I could do it. Module one and two were attainable, and then module three appeared – and that is where, for some reason, procrastination began. I tried the worksheets provided, and they did not make sense at all. Why was I doing this? So I left it.
Letting go of the straw
After a few weeks I came back to it with some inspiration: yes, I can do it. What was I thinking? I paid money for it, so I must make use of it.
Then the emails arrived. Subject lines designed to make you feel guilty at not continuing. Asking me if I was finding the course challenging, and maybe if I would have a one-on-one with the creator or a group session with a few others it would simplify things. For a small extra fee, I could be one of the select few chosen ones to benefit from this.
Don’t worry – I did not buy that inner circle ticket. I want some credit for that. Thankfully, I was awake, and my brain cells had decided to work. I left that tab open for a few days just to reassure myself that I was right not purchasing it.
What happened next?
The emails did continue, and for some reason, there were always seats available in that inner circle. I was not alone in not purchasing the seats. That made me smile. The unspoken testimonial of my kindred folk.
Two months after purchasing the course, it was like a membership or subscription we all make and forget, such as the gym membership.
The emails continued to come reminding me that I am falling behind and they could help me catch up on the course. Each one came with a gentle yet forceful way, with encouraging words. Yet I felt an accusation: why have you not finished it and left a positive review, or purchased the magic inner circle seat? They need more money or sales, and I am the one holding them back. It is my fault that they are not successful in selling more. Nowhere was it actually asking for feedback as to why I stopped and what was not working.
Did I get anything from the course?
The course gave me nothing, or almost nothing. Some notes I made, a group or community I left and €500 down. It was only a procrastination tool for me.
The reason the course gave me nothing is that it was not designed to give me what I was actually buying. I convinced myself that the course I was buying was to teach me a skill, a pathway or framework to help me. What I really bought was permission to stop asking myself the questions I really needed to face for a few months. No one course is suited to every person. It was a way for me to realise that this method is just not working for me – not the way I think or feel.
If it does not make sense to me, then it is not something that will stick. It will feel like a chore and something negative that, subconsciously, I will hate doing.
It was grasping at straws, thinking that one course – no matter what the course – would solve all my issues or simplify my life. I found one worksheet I had completed with one phrase I wrote that stuck with me. “If this does not work, then what do I do?” That one question sparked more inspiration than the whole course did.
I have spent time musing about that one question I wrote. I had realised it would not work for me and I was not able to just let it go and accept it is not for me – to move forward and find another method that does work for me. It also reinforced the knowledge that those countdown timers should be ignored. How often have you seen one and thought wow FOMO is beginning to set in, should I? No, I won’t, it doesn’t make sense. Then you move on. And then an email arrives informing you that the countdown timer has been extended. Oh, that is still not for me. Not falling for this again.
What I learned about grasping for straws
It was an expensive lesson that I did learn, and unfortunately not the only one. Life is a learning journey, and as long as we do learn from our mistakes, then that is a good thing.
Clutching at straws could be described as someone who is trying hard to find a way to be right when they are most likely wrong. Some may say you are clutching at straws when you are making a bad argument.
I grabbed the straws and lost but learned more about myself in the process. So it was a win for me in the long run. I also had to learn to forgive myself for wasting so much money. That was a tough learning curve and one that is now my benchmark to compare any future sales pitch to.
