When people feel overwhelmed with the scale of a problem they will rarely act.
This is particularly true when a problem is seen through statistical eyes – some kind of thinking in numbers.
The desire to act can fade quickly.
Let’s discuss how to inspire people to believe they can get what they want.
Once a person starts to think about something that involves a process with several steps they tend to switch into an analytical mindset.
This means they are far less likely to think emotionally.
The solution is to get a person to think and feel what it would be like to get their outcome.
This requires thinking with emotion, not just logic.
Without engaging emotionally – thinking only with your analytical hat on – the momentum towards doing something will stop in its tracks.
For people to act they need to care.
Caring requires emotional arousal.
To get someone to care about your idea the smart move is to get them to associate your idea with a strong emotion they already have about something else.
This is the power of association.
To get people to subscribe to your idea or message you should inspire them to form an association between what they don’t really care about – your idea initially – with something they do care about – a fantastic memory.
You need to know what they care about.
This, essentially, is tapping into their self-interest.
The trick is get a person to recreate something pleasant from their memory bank and get them to transfer it into the present.
This is creative thinking at its best.
How can you find the ideal association to use?
Keep in mind that there is a strong relationship between memory, energy and creativity.
Applying energy to memory produces creativity.
Creativity is generally a process where you combine two elements to create a third.
And it is the third that represents something new, something for the future, something that hasn’t yet happened.
So, before pitching your idea, product or service to an individual you should engage in a smart conversation around significant events in their life.
Get them to talk by showing interest, genuine interest.
The aim is to get them to relive a pleasant memory, an inspirational memory if possible, and then make your association tactfully.
The art requires you know and care about the individual.
It must be a win-win outcome.
You need to engage emotionally and not rely on facts and figures.
Take the time to get to know a person properly before describing the features of an idea, product or service. Inspire tem to imagine something from the past they care about.