How to convince people to act on your ideas

Hi ! It's me again, Aristotle. It seems that the 21st century still needs my teachings, especially in these times you live in where anyone can claim to be an expert on anything and try to sell anything to anyone.

How to distinguish oneself from the crowd? At a time when communication has become almost more important than substance, it is imperative to set the record straight and revalue true expertise.

It is unfortunately known that the one who speaks well of what he does evil has a greater chance of succeeding than the one who speaks evil of what he does well, this truth is particularly well known among politicians who by the way were the first to corrupt the teaching that i preached.

But don't worry, when you finish reading this article, you'll understand everything you need to know about the art of persuasion and how to convince people of your ideas. So read carefully and let my teaching help you show the world your true worth?

But first let me share with you a true story that a person from your time told me...

9th January, 2007, Joshua Bell, one of the world's greatest violinists, played in front of an audience of a thousand people in the Boston symphony hall, where most tickets cost over a hundred dollars. He was then at the peak of his abilities and fame. Three days later, he went into a Washington D.C. metro station and played to the audience of nobody. He looked like one of the many street performers in the city trying to make some money.

After about 45 minutes, Joshua received a few dollars from about 20 people, only six of whom stopped to listen longer. When the violinist stopped playing, there was no applause. He packed his violin and left

What changed ?

Same music on the same violin, which by the ways costs around 3.5 million dollars, played with the same passion by the same man. Why did he receive a standing ovation at the Boston symphony hall and was ignored at the metro station ?

Come on, travel with me 2300 years before your time so I can tell you about Rhetoric, the 3 means of persuasion I teach at the Lyceum

LOGOS or logic

To play the violin, you must first master the solfeggio. But this being said, there is a difference between a good player and a virtuoso, the latter concentrates all his efforts on improving his art every day. It is said that anyone can talk about any subject for hours, but very few people are able to give you the gist of it in a few minutes.?

The more you master your subject, the more likely you are to convince. But unfortunately, as Joshua's experience shows, your expertise alone won't lead to persuasion?

ETHOS or Character

In order for people to listen to you, you have to be credible, you have to be seen as an authority on the subject. If I were to tell you, for instance, that I am the most influential philosopher of all time, would you take my word for it? Of course not. You would probably research me, discover that I was a disciple of Plato, that among my students was Alexander the Great, the builder of the greatest empire in the history of mankind and so on... The more information you have about me, the more you will be able to make up your mind about my worth. It is therefore quite normal that a virtuoso like our violinist goes completely unnoticed in the metro station. People don't know him and for him to play his instrument in such an improper place can only support that he's not worth even a second of your time trying to figure out who he is or what he's worth

PATHOS or Emotion

If you have read the previous chapter of this newsletter, you already know that we humans are primarily emotional beings. Of course, being a recognized expert in a particular field is a prerequisite for persuading people with your ideas, but if you don't stir up something deep inside them, they won't follow you. There is a difference between listening to a violinist in a busy subway station and sitting in an amphitheater with a high-performance sound system that lets you feel every note deep inside.

If you manage to touch people's emotions, you are sure to have made an impression on them and if so, you have a good chance of convincing them with your ideas.?

So to summarize, mastering your subject is non-negotiable, it is the very foundation of your persuasion strategy. If you venture to convince someone with something you don't master, sooner or later it will backfire and your credibility will be severely impacted, so never mess with that. Then, find the people who will help increase your credibility, those who will present you as an authority on the subject, these people must also be credible to the people you want to convince. Last bu not least, remember that people are only influenced by things that have an emotional impact on them, so tell them a story that inspires to dream and you will be on the right track

Logic, Character and Emotion, Logos, Ethos and Pathos, these are the three means you have to use to persuade people with your ideas.

Farewell note

Thank you for reading. I wish you every success in persuading people with your brilliant ideas.?Cheers !