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Solomon’s Paradox: Why You’re Smarter Than Your Own Problems 🧠

How to Hack Your Brain (and Your Customers’) to Win Big

Author

Arzoo Batra
22 Feb • Read Time: 5 minutes

In partnership with

Picture this: Your buddy’s business is sinking. You swoop in, drop genius advice like Tony Robbins, and save the day.
But when YOUR startup hits a wall? You’re suddenly frozen like a deer in headlights, eating ramen at 2 AM, muttering, “Why can’t I figure this out?!”

Turns out, you’re not broken. You’re human—and trapped in Solomon’s Paradox.

Hbo Advice GIF by SuccessionHBO

The 3,000-Year-Old Brain Hack That Still Works Today

King Solomon was a legend. Dude could solve geopolitical drama before breakfast…but his personal life? Train wreck. Wives, drama, scandals—Real Housewives of ancient city.

Science confirms it: We’re 72% wiser solving OTHER people’s problems (actual stat from a 2014 study). Why?

  • For others: Cold, logical, big-picture thinking

  • For ourselves: Emotional tornado of fear, ego, and “what-ifs”

The kicker? Your customers are stuck in this same loop.

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How Nike, Tesla, and Your Ex’s Therapy TikTok Use This

Top brands weaponize Solomon’s Paradox to make you click “BUY NOW.” Let’s reverse-engineer their playbook:

1. Become the “Third-Person” Guru

(Like Nike’s “Just Do It” for your brain)

  • Spotify Wrapped: Makes YOU the protagonist. “Here’s YOUR year in music—look how interesting you are.”

  • Tesla’s Autopilot: “The car drives itself” → shifts anxiety from “Can I handle this tech?” to “My car’s smarter than me 🤯”

Steal This: Frame decisions as advice you’d give a friend. “If your friend wanted to [get fit/start a biz/sleep better], what would you tell them?”

2. The “Free Trial” Mind Trick

(Netflix’s 30-day trial = 93% conversion hack)
Ever notice how easy it is to tell someone else to “just try it”?

  • Canva’s secret: “Design like a pro” tools → You’re not committing—you’re just ‘experimenting’.

  • Duolingo’s owl: “5 minutes a day!” → It’s not learning—it’s a game for your inner child.

3. Objection Slayer: Pre-Kill Their ‘Yeah, But…’

Your customer’s brain is screaming:

  • “What if it sucks?”

  • “What if I fail?”
    Smother those doubts like a campfire:

  • Glossier’s genius: Skincare first, makeup second → You’re not vain—you’re practicing self-care.

  • Apple’s 14-day returns: Love it or return it → Zero risk. You’re basically Sherlock testing a clue.

The $1.2M Question: How to BEAT the Paradox Yourself

(Spoiler: You’re already doing it for others. Time to flip the script.)

  1. Zoom Out Method: Write your problem as a friend’s email. Reply to it.

  2. “What would [Elon/Oprah/your therapist] do?”

  3. Pre-Mortem: Imagine your biz failed. Write the autopsy. Now avoid those bullets.

Takeaway: Wisdom is a Mirror—Hold It Sideways

Solomon’s Paradox isn’t a flaw—it’s a cheat code.

  • For your brand: Be the calm, third-person voice that cuts through customer chaos.

  • For yourself: Treat YOUR problems like a paid consulting gig. (Bonus: You’ll actually listen.)

Next time you’re stuck, ask: “What would I tell my best friend to do?” Then…do that.

Until next time..