Reversing the Wave
The 8-second drill is a function of “reversing the wave”—that is, getting to the point right away. Some lawyers, accountants, sales-people, and others are accustomed to taking their time to explain themselves by typically building to an elegant conclusion (slowly advancing toward their eventual message in the shape of a rising wave). If they are oblivious to the 18-minute wall and don’t know how to get over it, they might drift unaware into treacherous territory and never know it.
When you “reverse the wave,” you slash that risk by dashing to your message almost immediately. So if you are cut off or interrupted, or you unexpectedly run out of time, you can take comfort in the knowledge that your theme is already on the table. ...
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