Quotes About Persuasion

A man will believe anything that does not cost him anything," said

I have adopted what I call a "fat book" strategy. A movement that seeks to change the world cannot make its claims believable with only short books. The world is much too large and much too complex to be capable of being restructured in terms of large-print, thin paperback books - the only kind of books that most Christians read these days. The best that any movement can expect to achieve if it publishes only short books is to persuade readers that the world cannot be changed.

Most people enjoy being put into the role of adviser, and often they will take care of the situation for you by departing with their friend. A phrase that has helped me on countless occasions is, "I need your help," and you might want to think about using it yourself next time you're trying to convince someone to act a certain way. Asking for help seems to disarm people, and the majority of folks become putty in your hand when you ask them for help.

If one has ever wondered how an entire nation could have followed a murderous leader, one needs to understand that it doesn't take that many people actually believing what the leader says. They just need to be willing to repeat whatever their side is saying.

Three-fourths of philosophy and literature is the talk of people trying to convince themselves that they really like the cage they were tricked into entering.

Con artists rely heavily on the willing participation and self-delusion of the people they con.

men are often persuaded to new vices when properly motivated.

No amount of logic can usually move a battered woman, so persuasion requires emotional leverage, not statistics or moral arguments. . . .I have seen their fear and resistance firsthand . . . I believe it is critical for a woman to view staying as a choice, for only then can leaving be viewed as a choice and an option.

Her biggest influence in persuading Noah was in prayer. When Noah was blinded by his own stubbornness, she would ask Elohim to soften his heart. Elohim had a way of opening Noah's eyes better than anyone else could. She did not believe that Elohim had abandoned them. She was sure he was planning something very significant to make his point. It would take something big to transform Noah to accomplish his calling. Elohim was like that.

Hearts and souls are moved by story and he who controls the cultural narrative controls the people.

Belial continued with the sincerity of a politician.

It is no coincidence that the phrase "signs and wonders" is used by biblical writers. A "sign" is a visual experiential symbol pointing to truth or proving a proposition (Heb 2:4).34 So one of God's most dramatic means of persuasion recorded in the Bible is through the signs or images of miraculous wonders.35

Just repeating a statement often and with great vehemence does not make it a fact, and no amount of repetition can make a rational person believe it.

First, President Reagan was not enthusiastic. But I built up a relationship with him in other areas and then persuaded him that this was important to us and to me, and that we had to at least be in the process of looking at this seriously.

11Since we are those who stand in holy awe of the Lord,h we make it our passion to persuade others to turn to him. We know that our lives are transparent before the God who knows us fully, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences.

I've got to convince my friends that I'm right. Of course I'm aware of one little problem. If I'm wrong, we all die.

It's a strange truth that no matter how persuaded we might be of our own correctness, the discomfiting realization that others disagree with us causes a paralyzing inability to argue the case convincingly.

How will I make a people who do not understand the power of belief believe?

Language exerts hidden power, like a moon on the tides.

come to feel that the voice of the

It is said that great leaders are born, not made. The saying is true to this degree, that no man can persuade people to do what he wants them to do, unless he genuinely likes people, and believes that what he wants them to do is to their own advantage.

Much brass has been sounded and many cymbals tinkled in the name of advertising; but the advertisements which persuade people to act are written by men who have an abiding respect for the intelligence of their readers, and a deep sincerity regarding the merits of the goods they have to sell.

If the sole source of one's knowledge or assurance of the truth of the Lord's work comes from reason, or logic, or persuasive argument,...it is not a testimony of the gospel

You try to tell people what to think and you end up a little Madison Avenue mind fascist.