What really happens in a moment of truth?
And I don’t mean Procter & Gamble’s marketing definition—or even Google’s “zero moment of truth.” I mean those internal, undeniable turning points when the traffic light in your mind suddenly flips from red to green.
It’s the instant you decide: go forward, stay back, act, or change.
We’ve all had at least one of those moments. I can point to mine: when I decided to lose weight, start my business, or run again. I can recall the exact second the light turned. And I’ve been a little obsessed with them ever since—because of the extraordinary power they hold.
Imagine what could happen if you could unlock those moments. Better yet, imagine if you could create them—for yourself or others.
Storytellers know this well. Every great story has a “moment of truth”—sometimes called the climax, sometimes the point of no return. It’s the part of the story where the main character faces a decision:
What will I do now?
That’s why Procter & Gamble chose “moment of truth” to describe three critical points in the buyer’s journey: the first encounter with a product, the experience of using it, and the choice to share that experience. Google later added the “zero moment of truth”—the research phase before buying.
No matter the context, it’s always the same: a person gets new information, processes it, and has to decide what to do.
But here’s the rub: too often, when we try to spark that decision, we rely on lists of features and benefits, or we throw surprising information at people. Instead of inspiring choice, we inspire resistance. They don’t ask, “What will I do now?” They question the information—or worse, they question us.
Why? Because humans cling tightly to what they believe and the goals they hold. Push too hard, and people push back. (Any parent knows this truth well.)
The key is not force—it’s choice.
Because when there’s a question, there’s a choice. And choice is the antidote to force.
That’s why true moments of truth happen when what people want, what they know, and what they do come into conflict. Each truth on its own is unquestionable. But when placed together, they spark a deeper question:
Which truth will I choose?
That’s the moment where the light turns green.
I’ve seen it in my own life:
- When I wanted to lose weight, the truth that all food had a Points value made me reconsider both quality and quantity. I lost the weight.
- When I wanted to start a business, the truth that “a life lived in fear is a life half-lived” made me question my excuses for waiting. I started.
- When I wanted to finish a race, the truth that “runner and road are one” made me question whose finish line mattered more. I finished—and came back to do it again.
At the heart of every change is a moment of truth.
The real question is: What’s yours?