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Seeing is Believing

Millennials may think they’re a different breed.

Perhaps, the reasoning goes, because they grew up in a distracting environment… their brains have adapted to the distractions of our fast paced world!

"Brained" by Jose, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
“Brained” by Jose, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

I frequently hear, “Maybe this generation is different!”

Attempts to outlaw competitive sports or bullying rely on that same flawed belief — that somehow humans are reaching a new level of consciousness. Finally.

For all the drum-beating about “Science!” it’s amazing to see how many people Continue reading “Seeing is Believing”

10 Things You’ll Learn From The Secret of Selling Anything by Harry Browne

While the financial reward of being a good salesman has it’s

Harry Browne's "The Secret of Selling Anything"
Harry Browne’s “The Secret of Selling Anything”

appeal, I’ve not historically been good at selling things to people. (Or at least that’s the story I’ve told myself!)

The last time I was trying to “sell” (as a career) was during the down economy in the early 2000s.

No one was buying, and I wasn’t making any money trying.

I’m an introvert, mostly — again, one of the things that I tell myself. I’ve practiced becoming more extroverted. I’ve intentionally put myself into situations where I need to be more extroverted.

One reason I’m drawn to persuasion because I see it as a way to interact with people. It allows me to better understand their motivations and behaviors, and to better connect with them. It pushes me to do so.

Sales, on the other hand, is a whole different beast of persuasion. To be “salesy” meant Continue reading “10 Things You’ll Learn From The Secret of Selling Anything by Harry Browne”

“Obvious Adams” by Robert Updegraff
(Persuasion Play Podcast 003)

I started the book reviews on PersuasionReadingList.com over two years ago. The first was My Life in Advertising by Claude C. Hopkins, a classic written in 1927.

Over those two years, I’ve summarized my favorite lessons from 17 books — and I have a dozen or more on my bookshelf waiting to be read and written up or otherwise shared.

Can you justify such behavior? Image from Steve Martin's movie "The Jerk", 1979
Image from Steve Martin’s movie “The Jerk”, 1979

It’s been fun and educational on my end — and I hope on your end too!

As I continue along my PRL journey, learning about the forces that influence us and how we, in turn, can influence the world around us, I was bound to Continue reading ““Obvious Adams” by Robert Updegraff
(Persuasion Play Podcast 003)”

13 Words to Identify Mind Readers

Dear reader, we’ve discussed mind-reading, remember? We know it’s probably not real… right?

Maybe it is, maybe it’s not. That’s beside the point. Honestly I don’t know the scope of reality beyond what my brain understands, and I’m sure there’s a lot I don’t understand.

A wise man is never certain about anything!

So I don’t know if some specially attuned people can read minds or not… but I’m pretty sure that your run-of-the-mill news reporter cannot.

Image "Newspapers B&W (3)" by Jon S, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
Image “Newspapers B&W (3)” by Jon S, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

Continue reading “13 Words to Identify Mind Readers”

Just Give Away all the Library Books!

I just finished reading the Saint Paul newspaper.

It seems our mayor wants to do away with library fines.

New fines, old fines, all of the fines… out the door.

Here we are, a society that can’t accept enough responsibility to iron a shirt…

and now we’re removing one of the few driving forces that encourage people to return books on time?

I think it’s… ridiculous, pandering, expensive… and… after thinking it over…

possibly a great idea! Continue reading “Just Give Away all the Library Books!”