The Asteroid Close
Prove they're capable, so the only thing left to solve is motivation.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 85%
The Asteroid Close is a thought experiment Henry uses when a prospect believes they want something but aren't capable of achieving it. He asks permission to test whether they are truly capable, then poses a scenario: the President calls to say an asteroid will destroy Earth unless they accomplish the exact thing they doubt. They always say they could do it. Henry then reveals that the only variable that changed was motivation, proving capability was never the issue. This isolates motivation as the real challenge and lets him address beliefs one by one until the sale is clear.
Origin
Henry developed the close to handle the common audience belief 'I'm just not capable, so I shouldn't try.' By separating capability from motivation with an extreme hypothetical, he could put the capability objection to bed and move on to whether the person actually wants the outcome.
Core principles
- 01Capability and motivation are two different objections; separate them.
- 02A high-stakes hypothetical proves the person is capable, isolating motivation as the real variable.
- 03Once capability is settled, you reframe the question from 'can I?' to 'do I want to?'
How to run it
- 1
Surface the self-doubt
Ask how many people want the outcome badly but feel something is telling them they aren't capable and shouldn't try.
Pro tip In a group, hands will go up because this belief is extremely common.
- 2
Get consent for a thought experiment
Offer to run a quick thought experiment to settle once and for all whether they are capable, and ask if they'll do it with you.
- 3
Pose the asteroid scenario
Ask: if the President said an asteroid will destroy Earth unless you accomplish this exact thing, could you do it? They almost always say yes.
- 4
Reveal the reframe
Point out that the only thing that changed was motivation, so they are clearly capable. Then shift the question from 'can you?' to 'do you want to?'
Pro tip Follow up by addressing the next belief (e.g. self-motivation) one at a time until no roadblocks remain.
In the wild
Henry asks a room who wants the result badly but feels incapable, gets raised hands, then runs the asteroid scenario. Everyone admits they could accomplish the task to save the world.
→ He proves capability was never the barrier, leaving only motivation, and clears the roadblock so the sale can proceed.
Common mistakes
Arguing capability instead of demonstrating it
Telling someone they are capable rarely works. The asteroid experiment makes them prove it to themselves, which is far more persuasive.
Is it for you?
Best for
Coaches and course sellers dismantling audience self-doubt in a talk or webinar.
Not ideal for
Sales where the objection is genuinely about price, fit, or product, not capability.
From the transcript
“The only thing that changed in that scenario was your motivation. You see, you said you were capable.”
From the episode
Dan Henry: The Marketing Strategy Entrepreneurs Use to Build Massive, Money-Making Brands
Dan Henry