60% of the time, flattery works every time… but what about the other 40%?

Last night, as I sometimes do, I started reading a book. The opening scene was very instructive, and I want to share it with you:

Myriel, a lowly French priest with a shadowy past, is waiting in the lobby of a great cardinal.

​​The time is 1804, and Napoleon has just been crowned emperor.

As the priest is waiting, Napoleon himself suddenly enters and starts to cross the lobby.

The priest stares at Napoleon. ​​Napoleon, a little peeved at being stared at, snaps and asks the priest what he’s on about. The priest responds:

“Sire, you are looking at a good man, and I am looking at a great man. Each of us can profit by it.”

That evening, Napoleon asks the cardinal what the priest’s name is. A few days later, to everyone’s surprise, the lowly priest is promoted to bishop.

Now as you probably know, flattery will get you everywhere. In fact studies show that 60% of the time, flattery works every time.

But what about those missing 40%?

Why is it that sometimes you stand up on your tippy-toes, look adoringly at a person you admire, shout at them how great you think they are… and they just frown, mutter an uncomfortable thanks, and hurry out the room?

Well, in my opinion, what’s missing in those cases is the other part of the lowly priest’s message above.

​​In many situations, it’s not enough to flatter the other person as being great. You also have to paint yourself as somebody good, somebody deserving.

Most people enjoy being flattered. But many people don’t like displays of servility.

So if you claim, or even better show, that you are somebody worthwhile, this does two things.

One, it keeps you from looking servile.

Two, it makes the flattery more meaningful — since it’s coming from somebody good and deserving.

That’s my bit of advice to you if you ever want to connect with people, particularly those who might be somehow higher up or further along than you are.

And now, on to something entirely unrelated:

Yesterday I wrote about my “cash buyers’ list”. That’s a term I got from the real estate investing industry. But to get on my own cash buyers’ list, you don’t need any real estate, you don’t need any cash, and you don’t need to buy anything.

That’s not to say I’m promiscuous about adding people to my cash buyer’s list. In fact, I am very very selective about who I allow onto this list.

If you didn’t read my email yesterday, and you’re curious what I’m on about, you can read more below, including how and why you might want to get onto my cash buyers’ list:

https://bejakovic.com/an-email-business-worth-0-52-billion-yes-billion/​​