When an Influencer Says These 3 Words, I Stop Listening

At a time when it’s become normal for social media influencers, podcasters, yoga teachers, and others to offer advice to strangers, there’s a phrase that immediately raises red flags whenever I hear it. It’s a string of words that might not seem problematic, at least not upon initially hearing or reading it. Yet I’ve learned to regard it as a sign that drastic oversimplification is about to follow.

The phrase that leaves me with more questions than answers is “the one thing.” It usually prefaces some sort of remedy, as in “the one thing that will fix your knee pain in lunges.” Or “the one thing that’s the secret to nailing a freestanding handstand.” Or “the one thing” that will transform your sleep, your core strength, your relationships, whatever.

Let’s face it—if any issue was that simple or straightforward, there probably wouldn’t be a need to turn to strangers for answers. But there aren’t always easy and universal answers. The challenges we encounter in life tend to be complex, their solutions individual and multi-faceted.

That is why you seldom hear overly simplistic or definitive advice when you seek individualized expertise. Try asking an endocrinologist what one thing you should do to enhance your immunity or a building inspector what one thing would make your house more structurally sound. In my experience, their response is more likely to start with some version of “it depends.”

These insights, as opposed to advice that’s dished out to the masses, might include a few potential strategies to explore. And the tone of the communication is seldom characterized by the certainty implied by “the one thing.”

The same applies to our experience on the yoga mat. One person’s struggle in handstand might be due to lack of wrist or shoulder mobility. Others could be held back by limited core strength, balance, fear of falling, even fear of failing.

What catchy-sounding and simplistic solutions to complex problems are effective at capturing, however, is your attention. Short and simple messages don’t reflect our complex realities, yet they do effectively cut through the endless onslaught of podcasts, reported articles, comment threads, and TikToks.

Whether the person sharing the magical “one thing” seeks your engagement to boost their social media numbers, sell their latest offering, more generally sell themselves as an authority, or something else, it’s a pretty safe bet that the emphasis is on promoting their interests and not accurately addressing yours.

So next time you are told to try “the one thing,” by all means, test it out if you like. The law of averages suggests that it will be helpful to some people some of the time. However, don’t imbue any one solution—or the person offering it—with any special powers.

And if “the one thing” doesn’t magically fix your situation, consider seeking out experts who are willing and able to convey complexity, individuality, and nuance regarding your needs. Because you deserve communication that values your needs, your intelligence, and your discernment over your attention.