Crossing the Threshold in action:

🎬 Novocaine
Nathan Caine, a mild-mannered bank employee who literally cannot feel pain due to a rare genetic disorder. When his co-worker and love interest, Sherry, is kidnapped during a bank robbery, he makes an impulsive decision that changes everything. With no fear of physical pain, Nate plunges into a dangerous rescue mission, a quiet but irrevocable step into an entirely different reality.

💼 Business parallel
For your audience, crossing the threshold can look equally unassuming. maybe it’s launching a pilot offer, posting publicly for the first time, or sending a marketing email. It may feel small, but on the inside it shifts everything. Your content at this stage should highlight that critical first step, the early signs of momentum, and how the act itself marks real transformation.

The framework is important, and we use it as our guiding compass too. Our hero’s top pain is the following:

Pain: Time drain of content creation
“By the time I’ve finished client calls and chased invoices, the last thing I want to do is sit there staring at a blank screen wondering what to post.”

➝ This is the single biggest blocker: My hero feels they literally doesn’t have the hours to do it.

Why This Matters
Starting is everything. A small, achievable first step shows your audience that progress doesn’t require perfection, just action.

Steps

1. Show what the hero did first.

2. Keep it small and doable.

3. Explain why that step worked.

4. Encourage your audience to try it too.

5. Give them a checklist or resource if needed.

Bad vs Good Example

• ❌ Bad: “She rebuilt her whole content system overnight.”

• ✅ Good: “She started by posting one story a week, no strategy, just sharing a real client win.”

Breaking down our pain : Time drain of content creation
“By the time I’ve finished client calls and chased invoices, the last thing I want to do is sit there staring at a blank screen wondering what to post.”

Applied Examples (First Step for the pain)

• Show what the hero did first
  “Tom didn’t overhaul his entire strategy. His first step was simple: he picked one workshop exercise and recorded himself explaining it in under 3 minutes.”

• Keep it small and doable
  “No script. No production team. Just a phone camera and a single story.”

• Explain why that step worked
  “That one clip sparked a conversation with a client who said, ‘I didn’t know you could offer this virtually.’ That tiny action created visibility he’d been missing.”

• Encourage your audience to try it too
  “If you’re stuck at the blank page, don’t aim for a month of content. Just pick one client question, record a 3-minute answer, and share it.”

• Give them a checklist or resource if needed
  👉 Quick checklist:
  1️⃣ Pick one common client question.
  2️⃣ Record a short answer (under 3 minutes).
  3️⃣ Post it, and invite feedback.

Template (Fill-in-the-Blanks)

1. “The moment that changed everything was ______ , it was painful at the time, but it showed me what mattered.”

2. “My wake-up call came when ______. I didn’t see it as failure, I saw it as a turning point.”

3. “It wasn’t until ______ that I realised ______ , and that’s when things began to shift.”

Example Template
“The first step I took was setting up a simple spreadsheet to track my leads , no expensive tools needed.”

Why This Matters
Quick wins are proof that change is possible. They fuel motivation and show your audience that effort pays off, even at the start.

Steps

1. Show quick, tangible results.

2. Highlight the emotional lift it gave.

3. Keep it honest - no overpromising.

4. Link early wins to long-term success.

5. Invite them to share their own early wins.

Bad vs Good Example

• ❌ Bad: “Then she decided she was tired of it.” (cold, dismissive, no empathy).

  ✅ Good: “The moment came when Sarah realised her competitor had booked two new clients directly from LinkedIn while she hadn’t posted in weeks. She felt invisible, and that was the spark that told her something had to change.”

Breaking down our pain : Time drain of content creation
“By the time I’ve finished client calls and chased invoices, the last thing I want to do is sit there staring at a blank screen wondering what to post.”

Applied Examples (Early Wins for the pain)

• Show quick, tangible results
  “Within a week of posting his first 3-minute video, Tom had an old client reach out for a call. It wasn’t a flood of leads, but it was proof his content was being noticed.”

• Highlight the emotional lift it gave
  “That single reply gave him a boost of confidence. Suddenly, content didn’t feel like a time drain, it felt like progress.”

• Keep it honest – no overpromising
  “He didn’t land 10 new contracts overnight. What he did gain was momentum: one conversation led to another, and his visibility grew step by step.”

• Link early wins to long-term success
  “That small spark showed him what was possible. Three months later, those simple weekly posts built into consistent inbound leads.”

• Invite them to share their own early wins
  👉 “What’s one tiny win you’ve had from showing up online? Drop it below, you never know who you might inspire.”

Template (Fill-in-the-Blanks)
“After just [timeframe], I saw ______.”
“One small change led to ______.”
“My clients often notice ______ right away.”

Example Template

1. “After just two weeks, I saw my evenings free up again, no more late-night admin.”

2. “One small change led to my first online booking, proof that my work translated outside the training room.”

3. “My clients often notice how much calmer they feel right away, like they finally have space to breathe and think.”

Why This Matters
Change isn’t just about the first step - it’s about building momentum that carries people forward. Showing this shift helps your audience believe the journey is sustainable.

Steps

1. Show how progress started building.

2. Highlight changes in mindset and behaviour.

3. Show the difference between week 1 and week 4.

4. Use visuals if possible.

5. End with the promise of bigger things to come.

Bad vs Good Example

• ❌ Bad: “And then everything was perfect.”

• ✅ Good: “By week 4, she wasn’t just posting, she was planning ahead, reusing her content, and actually looking forward to sharing.”

Breaking down our pain : Time drain of content creation
“By the time I’ve finished client calls and chased invoices, the last thing I want to do is sit there staring at a blank screen wondering what to post.”

Applied Examples (Momentum Shift)

• Show how progress started building
  “By week 4, Tom wasn’t staring at a blank screen anymore. He had a small bank of ideas ready to go, which made posting less of a chore and more of a rhythm.”

• Highlight changes in mindset and behaviour
  “At first, content felt like another task draining his time. Now, it felt like leverage, one post often sparked two new conversations, which saved him hours of cold outreach.”

• Show the difference between week 1 and week 4
  “Week 1: Tom spent 45 minutes writing his first shaky post.
  Week 4: He drafted a post in 10 minutes using notes he’d already collected.”

• Use visuals if possible
  (Carousel idea)
  Slide 1: Week 1 → Blank screen, 60-hour work weeks
  Slide 2: Week 4 → 10 posts drafted, one inbox message leading to a new client

• End with the promise of bigger things to come
  “That’s when Tom realised, this wasn’t about one post. It was about building a system that could finally scale his business without scaling his hours.”

Template (Fill-in-the-Blanks)
“By [timeframe], ______ had completely changed.”
“What started as ______ grew into ______.”
“Each week built on the last, and soon ______.”

Example Template
“By week 4, client enquiries had become consistent, what started as one post a week grew into a full content strategy.”

You now have the five parts of a strong Threshold Moment. To create a piece of content from this stage:

1. Write your Before Snapshot - the relatable starting point.

2. Share the Trigger Event - the wake-up call that forced action.

3. Show the First Step - small and doable.

4. Add Early Wins - proof that progress is possible.

5. Finish with the Momentum Shift - showing how results grew.

💡 By weaving these together, you can build a LinkedIn post, video script, or case study that demonstrates the power of starting.

Example LinkedIn Post:

Six months ago, I was buried in client delivery and had zero time for content.

The breaking point? A competitor won a contract I knew we could have landed, simply because they had more visibility online.

My first step was tiny: I committed to posting once a week, even if it wasn’t perfect.

The first “win” came fast, a past client messaged me after seeing my post, asking for a call.

From there, the momentum built. Within 4 weeks, I had consistent inbound leads. The difference between “before” and “after” was simply showing up.

If you’re on the fence: don’t aim for perfection. Aim for progress. One post. One step. Start today.

Breakdown of Example Post (Crossing the Threshold)

• Before Snapshot
  “Six months ago, I was buried in client delivery and had zero time for content.”
  → Relatable “before” image of being stuck.

• Trigger Event
  “The breaking point? A competitor won a contract I knew we could have landed, simply because they had more visibility online.”
  → A clear wake-up call, something the audience can imagine happening to them.

• First Step
  “My first step was tiny: I committed to posting once a week, even if it wasn’t perfect.”
  → Shows that action started small, making it feel achievable.

• Early Wins
  “The first ‘win’ came fast, a past client messaged me after seeing my post, asking for a call.”
  → Proof that action paid off, even in a small way.

• Momentum Shift
  “From there, the momentum built. Within 4 weeks, I had consistent inbound leads. The difference between ‘before’ and ‘after’ was simply showing up.”
  → Highlights the shift from stagnation to consistent progress.

• Encouragement to Act
  “If you’re on the fence: don’t aim for perfection. Aim for progress. One post. One step. Start today.”
  → Invitation for the reader to cross their own threshold.

Minimum Viable Content (MVC) Help

Full Framework (5 parts) = Before Snapshot + Trigger Event + First Step + Early Wins + Momentum Shift

Minimum Viable Content (MVC)

• Just share Before + First Step.
  Paint a relatable “before” and give them the one action that changed things.

👉 Example MVC Post:
“Before I streamlined my workflow, I wasted hours chasing 20 different emails to book one meeting. The first step I took? Setting up a simple shared calendar. That one action cut my admin in half.”

Purpose Check 🔎

Before you move on, pause and ask:

• Does this piece of content connect to the purpose I defined in Stage 0 and align with my hero in stage 1?

• If not, how can I adjust it so it does?

👉 Quick Rule: If it doesn’t serve your purpose, it won’t serve your audience.

Sarah has guided Tom to see what’s possible. Now she needs to show him what it looks like to take the first real step, moving from hesitation into action.

Example Post (Crossing the Threshold)

Six months ago, Tom was buried in client delivery and had no time for content.

The turning point? A competitor won a contract he knew he could have landed, simply because they had more visibility online.

His first step wasn’t dramatic. He committed to posting once a week, short, simple, and consistent.

The first win came quickly. A past client saw one of his posts and got back in touch. Within weeks, Tom had momentum: more visibility, more enquiries, and the confidence to keep showing up.

If you’re stuck on the sidelines, don’t aim for perfection. Aim for progress. One post. One step. Start today.

Why This Works

• Before Snapshot: Tom’s struggle mirrors what many readers feel.

• Trigger Event: The lost contract creates urgency and relatability.

• First Step: Low-risk, achievable, not overwhelming.

• Early Win: Proof that results don’t take years.

• Momentum: Readers can imagine themselves making the same shift.

✅ Sarah shows Tom (and her wider audience) that action is possible, believable, and worth it.

Stage 4 is the turning point. This is where your audience sees themselves stepping across from “maybe” to “let’s go.”

Here’s how to decide what to do next for your audience:

• If they’re curious but hesitant → Stage 2. (Call To Adventure)

• If they trust you but aren’t acting → Stage 3. (Meet The Mentor)

• If they need proof → Stage 5. (Transformation)

OR stick with this stage and maximise your efforts:

👉 Multiply it: Turn a Threshold story into a before/after carousel, a “first step” email, or a short reel about early wins.
👉 Sustain it: Watch which part lands hardest the “before” pain, the trigger, or the first win. If the “before” gets the most attention, feed it back into Stage 1 to start a new cycle.

Stage 4 shows what change looks like when it begins. You’re not promising perfection; you’re showing how small steps create real momentum.