83

IINTERMISSION 1IINNNTTTEEERRRMMMIIISSSSSSIIIOOONNN 111

Obey the Ten-

Minute Rule

Y

our audience checks out after ten minutes. Not in

eleven minutes, but ten. We know this valuable fact

thanks to new research into cognitive functioning.

Simply put, the brain gets bored. According to molec-

ular biologist John Medina, “The brain seems to be making

choices according to some stubborn timing pattern, undoubt-

edly influenced by both culture and gene.”^1 Medina says

peer-reviewed studies confirm the ten-minute rule, as do his

own observations. In every college course Medina teaches, he

asks the same question: “Given a class of medium interest, not

too boring and not too exciting, when do you start glancing at

the clock, wondering when the class will be over?” The answer

is always exactly the same—ten minutes.

Steve Jobs does not give the brain time to get bored. In a thirty-

minute period, his presentations include demonstrations, a second

or even third speaker, and video clips. Jobs is well aware that even

his gifts of persuasion are no match for a tired brain constantly

seeking new stimuli.

Exactly ten minutes into his presentation at Macworld 2007—

and not a second more—Jobs revealed a new Apple television

commercial for iTunes and iPods (the one with a dark silhouette

of people dancing in front of brightly colored backgrounds—

the silhouettes are holding iPods, and the stark white earphones

noticeably stick out). “Isn’t that great?” Jobs said as the commer-

cial ended.^2 Jobs essentially provided an “intermission” between