I think I’m pretty smart, and I’d bet you think the same about yourself. I mean that literally. I would bet money on the fact that you think you are smarter than most other people.
I’ll tell you why in a second. But first, let me tell you how I broke a nonsensical law a few days ago.
There’s an intersection near the apartment where I’ve been staying for the past week. It has a stop light. There’s never any traffic in the cross direction, or even the chance of traffic in the cross direction.
To top it off, the red light stays red very long… and the green light only appears for a flicker.
So a few days ago, following a few other cars, I drove through that intersection. Even though the light had turned red right before me.
A trivial thing, right?
Well, it turns out I got lucky. Not because of any cross traffic. Like I said, no traffic there, then or ever.
But every time I’ve walked by that intersection since, I’ve seen a lurking cop car on the side, watching the intersection like a cat in the grass watching a mouse burrows.
Gulp. I must not be the only one to think that traffic light is stupid.
And that’s my point for you for today. People act and think in predictable ways. And this can be useful to you when persuading. Or giving out traffic tickets.
And now, let me tell you why I’d bet on you and your smarts.
It’s the same reason I’d bet you think you’re more curious than most other people… that you change your bedsheets less than other people… and that you have sex less often than other people.
Here, check it out. You might learn something about yourself, and about how to persuade others too:
(Oh, and since you think you’re so smart, you might like my email newsletter. It’s the thinking man’s source of ideas about persuasion, designed for smart people like yourself. You can sign up here.)