Let’s explore the art of using subliminal messaging to influence others.
We’ll look at the science behind the technique and the types of subliminal messages that will work best. The first thing to realize is that there is no scientific evidence that subliminal messages have any effect whatsoever on people. In other words, there is no real proof that they actually work. As one psychologist said, “I can’t imagine a more useless and stupid waste of time.” This means that we can’t know for sure if they work until we actually test them.
How does it work? In a word: persuasion. We persuade because we know what we want, and we know that if we act in a certain way, others will respond favorably. Before trying to persuade someone to do what you want, you should be sure he likes and respects you. Taking this first step is crucial.
The reason this works is that our brains are designed to operate on one principle: certainty. We are born with a need to feel certain, even if we don’t really have all the facts. This is why most people are persuaded by the things they are told to believe.
If you want to persuade other people to do what you want, you should imagine that they have already agreed to do so and are actively taking the steps you have asked of them. Whatever exterior methods you use, you should be in a state of perfect peace and optimism on the inside, with your entire being focused on the item you want and the certainty that you will get it. Some minds are slow to accept recommendations (even your own unconscious will), and much slower to act immediately upon their own impulse. If the individual takes a while to respond, don’t give up on them just yet. Consistently, the best way to get people to do what you want them to do is to make them believe that they are acting on their own personal inclination or judgement, that they are completely free, that they are not being coerced, and that they are choosing to do what you want them to do rather than what you want them to do.
In the words of a renowned scientist-author, we can sum up all of these proposals:
“Life is not a bully who struts out into the open cosmos, disturbing the laws of energy in all directions,” writes author and philosopher C. S. Lewis. “Rather, it is a skilled strategist, who, sitting in his hidden chamber over his wires, commands the movements of a mighty army.” This fully captures the essence of allure.
The important concept to grasp is that you don’t have to be the best at this to win people over. The real advantage you have is that you have something they want. If they don’t know what you have to offer, they don’t need you. But if they do know what you have to offer, they will seek you out. You need to understand that your audience is made up of people who are like you in some ways, but different from you in other ways. You can never fully predict how any given individual will respond to your efforts.
