Higher Purpose

A repeated persuasion and interviewing device in Stop Asking Questions. The book’s core move is that, when you need to motivate or persuade someone, you “share a higher purpose to get others on board with your goals” — give them a mission they can buy into and support. Framed this way, a higher purpose is less a personal value than a tool for winning cooperation.

The same frame does double duty as an etiquette workaround for interrupting. The book describes a “surprisingly simple solution” — the phrase “I’m sorry to interrupt, but …” completed by “explaining why I was interrupting and often citing my higher purpose.” In the context of landing high-profile guests (“newsmakers”), the interviewer’s mission is the higher purpose: practicing “I get you journalism” instead of “gotcha journalism,” using the stated mission to earn access and trust.

Where this appears

• Stop Asking Questions — used as both a persuasion lever (“share a higher purpose to get others on board”) and a justification for interrupting and for landing reluctant interview subjects.