Week 3: Arouse in the person an eager want

I didn’t have many opportunities to use this principle so far, I do have one very good example of a time when it did came of great use to me, and just like last week, it involves teachers.

I am a good student. I like getting 4.0's and I do more often than not. Another thing about me- I’m not good at sports , I get a decent amount of exercise, but when it comes to anything with a ball, I am absolutely terrible. But being the good student I am, I wasn’t going to let a B in gym class ruin my otherwise perfect report card. Enter principle 3. You see, gym teachers really don’t have that much to grade you on, just how they think you’re doing overall (and maybe the mile) so unlike most teachers, you can get your grade changed. I sent an email, remembering to include not only principle 3, but one and two as well. I started by saying how much I enjoyed gym class (principle 2) then framed it so it seemed like something he would want by making it seem like giving me an A would mean I would have more motivation, therefore giving my friends motivation and making his job easier (principle 3) and through the whole email, not telling the grade he gave me was wrong or complaining about it (principle 1) the next day, he said he would raise my grade after I promised to try harder next semester.

Another time this came of use to me was at the beginning of this week. My sister always “borrows” my scissors (even though we have a varying, but large number, not even including mine) and doesn’t give them back until I get on her case about them, which usually still results in her spending about ten minutes rummaging through her awfully unorganized desk until she finally finds them and hands them back with a scoff. This week I told her that if she were to stop taking my scissors, she would have a greater need for a pair of her own. She only took them one time since then and now has her own pair (finally).

This principle reminds me a lot of the method of making someone think that something was their idea. If it is something proposed by another person (or something that would mostly be if it them) you will be less likely to think that it’s something you’d want than if it was your own idea (or something that would be if it you. This, to me, relates a lot to the issue of Obamacare. I’m not an expert, but I really believe if it were Trumpcare, Republicans would be a lot less intent on repealing it.