March 13

“Being sorry won’t get you into heaven…”

“Being sorry won’t get you into heaven…Get happy, son. Get that old spring into your step and stay on your toes”

Today I came across an old, tatty copy of “Stranger in a Strange Land” by Robert Heinlein.  As I skimmed through it – lots of rather interesting and provocative ideas jumped off the pages.  This book has been in continuous print since 1961.

The quote about heaven did make me chuckle when as I had just talking about the ‘gooey, swamp-smell feeling’ that having our national leaders here in Australia being ‘sorry’ about just about everything including their own lack of judgement and clear thinking.

For me there exists a powerful rule that guides me when there is confusion or doubt, which is pretty much all the time because information is never complete – and ‘facts’ aren’t usually.  So having a rule can be like having a log across the quicksand that blocks the exciting path to your goals.

The rule?  “People will always believe what they conclude.  People will very often doubt what they are told.”

Take a moment and think if this is “true”.

You know it  is true.

But how do you know it is true?

Because as you read  the rule – a series of thoughts led you to the ‘conclusion’ – that yes – that is true.   (Plus it is worded in a specific way that makes it likely that you will believe it is true.)

So – if you,  like me, feel it is true for you, how can we use it as a rule in every day life?

Well – this being a business sort of blog – we can use it in most areas of business.  I will put a few examples here – but I invite you add your insights in the comments below  because we will all have different and enlightening spins on this.

In marketing.  Simple – use testimonials.  Rather than say ‘I am a great ___________”,  show evidence that the ‘jury’ [your target market], can use to conclude that you are a great ___________.

Similarly – have any guarantee.   “We do a great job” vs “If you feel we did a sucky job – we will give your money back and fix it, and give you a pony (one of those cute appaloosa ones)”.

Also – you can simply ask your current clients or customers how they feel you are going with your service.  Either in a paper survey or face to face.  If you have doing a decent job – then they will consider the different areas [have a list] of value that you give them – and they will CONCLUDE that you are doing a great job.  Remember once they conclude it – it is true for them.

This process will also lead you to a stream of referrals and testimonials.

In essence – the message of this rule is

SHOW ME, DON“T TELL ME…. BECAUSE I TRUST MY OWN CONCLUSIONS

This is an extraordinarily powerful idea.  For all areas of life.

Tell a friend:  “My health is really important to me”.  They will look at you, consider your habits [eat too much, no exercise, big belly [boys], massive butt [girls], smoke, whatever].  And they will CONCLUDE something…

If your friend knows that regardless of your current body condition that you don’t eat white things, you train hard, and you have dropped 10kgs of fat this year – they will conclude something else.

If you tell your children which are the ‘right’  things – then show them you doing the complete opposite… what will they conclude and believe?

If you tell your partner you love them – BUT you show them actions/attitudes/evidence that you don’t – what will they conclude?

This does not mean that “telling” does not have power.  Just talk to small child,  Tell them the moon is made of a special kind of magical cheese and that their great grandma was the first one to taste it – and they will conclude immediately that it is true.    Children are designed to accept beliefs with little resistance because it will help them survive to adulthood.

Modelling your parents is the pattern that is most likely to keep you safe – even though some the beliefs this builds are not that useful once we are older.

If the ‘teller” has a position of greater authority/knowledge – then  it has much more weight in the “concluding” process.

In conclusion!  What have you concluded about the value of designing your message so that rather than “SPOUT” your message, you design and convey it in a way that allows the receivers to CONCLUDE  message [is true]???

Cheers

James Hooper

Ps I am going to revisit Heinlein – it is wonderfully evocative.

Pps  please share below with your examples and insights

Pps to our federal politician who keep apologising – show me evidence that you fixed or made changes to  whatever you are sorry for – or CALL LIFELINE not Press Gallery.

Business Coach Townsville



Tags

Get happy, son. Get that old spring into your step and stay on your toes


You may also like

I Asked ChatGPT For Two Items: A Consultant’s Report for Regenerating A Regional City Centre & A Report About Paid Parking In Townsville

I Asked ChatGPT For Two Items: A Consultant’s Report for Regenerating A Regional City Centre & A Report About Paid Parking In Townsville