People seek to avoid pain and to seek pleasure. The same notion holds true when people are being persuaded. There are only two things that motivate us in life: inspiration and desperation. We either move toward that which inspires us, or we move away from that which fills us with despair or discomfort. The majority of the world's population uses desperation as a motivator. Desperation is like a cattle prod forcing you to move forward and take action. Anyone in the world can be motivated with desperation. The problem is that motivation that is spurred by desperation does not last.

Do you know any lazy teenagers? If you do, I promise you that I can motivate them-guaranteed. I'll take them for a boat ride, and while I am in the middle of the lake, I'll throw them overboard and hold their heads under the water. What will I see, besides bubbles? Instant motivation, that's what. They'll fight and struggle until they get that breath of air they so desperately need. Once they can breathe easily, however, they'll go right back to being lazy. When desperation is the motivator, people are in an "away from" mentality. This temporary motivation won't last, and it won't reappear until threat or fear becomes prominent again. Desperation is rooted in logic. True, there are emotions that are associated with desperation, but logic wins over your emotions. People are often so preoccupied with what they're trying to escape that they don't know where they're heading. As a result, they are always in a panicky, "have to" mode.

If you want motivation to last, you need to rely on inspiration. Inspiration is rooted in our emotions. With inspiration, your emotions triumph over logic. The positive results that come from using inspiration as a motivator are obvious. Inspired people tend to be proactive, driven personality types. In other words, they don't need a carrot dangling in front of them to get something accomplished. They are happier and enjoy greater fulfillment in life than those who are desperation-driven. If you just check the help-wanted section of your newspaper, these types of inspired people are always in demand. To be most effective, inspiration needs to be internalized. Motivation becomes long-term when your goals tap into your inner drive and emotion. The key to finding success lies in being emotionally motivated with a purpose.

Conclusion

Persuasion is the missing puzzle piece that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost because of your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you've seen some success, but think of the times you couldn't get it done. Has there ever been a time when you did not get your point across? Were you unable to convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and accomplish their goals? What about your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, know what your prospect is thinking and feeling, feel more confident in your ability to persuade. Professional success, personal happiness, leadership potential, and income depend on the ability to persuade, influence, and motivate others.

Kurt Mortensen

Kurt W. Mortensen is one of America's leading authorities on persuasion, motivation and influence. Kurt spent 15 years researching personal development and motivational psychology and is currently a professor on the university level. He offers his speaking, training, and consulting programs nationwide, helping thousands achieve unprecedented success in business and personal endeavors. Kurt is author of Maximum Influence, an Amazon.com bestseller and is endorsed by Stephen R. Covey, Brian Tracy, Robert Allen, and Mark Victor Hansen.

“This is truly remarkable information,” said Dr. Stephen R. Covey, Author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. “It is based on solid scientific research and extensive field experience. It contains unbelievably comprehensive and fresh new angles and insights to persuasion, using immensely practical examples.”

"This is a great,” said Brian Tracy, Author of Advanced Selling Techniques. “Magnetic Persuasion shows you how to immediately influence and persuade other people in every area of your life."

Mortensen received a bachelor’s degree in Communications/Advertising from Brigham Young University in 1992 and an MBA in Marketing and Consumer Behavior from the University of Pittsburg in 1993. He presented on the speaking circuit with Brian Tracy, Dennis Waitley, and Les Brown.

He teaches that success in every aspect of life depends on the ability to persuade, motivate, and influence others. He combines scientific research with real-world studies to provide the most authoritative and effective arsenal of proven techniques for persuading, influencing, and motivating others.

“Kurt has provided the most complete work on persuasion and influence I have ever read,” said Robert G. Allen, Author of Nothing Down, Multiple Streams of Income, and The One Minute Millionaire. “Nowhere in persuasion literature have I ever seen the art and science broken down into such thorough and easy-to-understand concepts, covering every aspect of persuasion imaginable.”