Been thinking a lot lately about what it really means to orange pill someone. Like, we throw that phrase around constantly in the Bitcoin community, but do we actually know what we're doing when we try to introduce someone to Bitcoin?

Honestly, I think most of us get it wrong. We assume orange pilling someone means convincing them to buy Bitcoin, or maybe just making them see how brilliant it is. But here's the thing nobody talks about enough: if someone doesn't understand the problem with our current financial system, they're never going to see Bitcoin as the solution.

Most people are just overwhelmed, barely getting by. They're not sitting around thinking about monetary policy or the Fed's money printing. They don't have the mental bandwidth for it. So when you try to orange pill them without addressing their actual pain points, you're basically wasting both your time.

I watched this play out recently. A young mom who gets Bitcoin was frustrated her sister, a lawyer in NYC, just wouldn't see it. She kept pushing, and her sister kept dismissing her. The problem? She was leading with the ideology instead of listening to what actually mattered to her sister.

Michael Saylor said something that stuck with me: when you only have a few minutes with someone, what's the highest form of good you can bring them? His approach is to educate people about Bitcoin as a solution to their specific problems, in language they actually understand. Not lecture them. Not get preachy. Just figure out what they care about and show how Bitcoin connects to that.

So here's what I actually think orange pilling should look like: Step one, help them see the gaps and unfairness in our current system. Most people haven't even admitted the problem exists yet. That's your starting point. You don't convince an alcoholic to quit drinking until they admit they have a problem, right? Same thing.

Step two, once they see the problem, then introduce Bitcoin as a potential solution. Not before.

The amazing part about Bitcoin is it appeals to different people for different reasons. A boomer worried about inflation sees it differently than a millennial locked out of real estate. But most of us use this one-size-fits-all approach. We assume what convinced us will convince everyone else. That's either naive or arrogant, honestly.

My favorite move? With people who did well in the fiat world, I say: 'You probably don't need Bitcoin.' Immediately disarms them. Makes them curious instead of defensive.

The real key is patience. Think low time-preference. This could take years for some people. If you're getting frustrated or angry that they don't get it, that's on you, not them. That's just your own fear or immaturity showing.

Stop trying to win arguments on Twitter. Stop calling people idiots for not understanding. The people who actually need to learn about Bitcoin aren't even on social media. They're your actual friends, family, neighbors.

Set a real goal: how many people will you help get their first Bitcoin this year? Then actually do it. Listen more than you talk. Ask questions that show you care about them, not just whether they buy in. Make friends, not enemies.

Bitcoin has infinite patience. Start acting like you do too.