Timing matters because it can foster or impede the social and psychological conditions that support change.

Extrinsic events—like crises, transitions, societal shifts, and tipping points—can help or hinder change.

Savvy changemakers pay attention to the broader context and adapt their strategies accordingly.

We often hear that timing is everything when it comes to change. The right moment can open a door; the wrong one can slam it shut. But what does it mean to say that timing matters? Is timing simply beyond our control—or can savvy changemakers use it to their advantage?

Trevor Noah recently discussed the power of timing with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who published a new memoir called The Perilous Fight. Noah reflected on the backlash Kaepernick faced when he protested fatal police shootings of unarmed Black Americans in 2016, by first sitting and then kneeling during the national anthem:

“You were almost, like, ahead of the curve… The timing of when you were doing it made it so that you didn’t have the cover of the collective… You were the one who sticks your head up first.”

“You were almost, like, ahead of the curve… The timing of when you were doing it made it so that you didn’t have the cover of the collective… You were the one who sticks your head up first.”

Kaepernick sought to inspire change by calling attention to racial disparities in how police use force. At the time, he faced intense scrutiny from both the National Football League (NFL) and segments of the public, which essentially derailed his football career. Yet less than four years later,........

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