Don't DoIt
I enjoyed Barry Farber's piece on the mental edge forconnecting with customers-current or prospective ("SalesSuccess," October). As a psychologist who has put psychologyto work on the competitive fields of sports and business and taughtat Dartmouth Medical School for over a decade, I would add oneadditional tip: Don't use don't!
Don't think about what time it is. Did you see a watch or aclock-digital or analog? The human mind is visual. Neuropsychjourneys into its deep corners suggest we may not even process theword don't. Instead, we picture the words that follow itscommand. Don't look back-look ahead. The next time you hearyour own inner voice admonishing you with the "don't"command, turn it around. Tell yourself what to do. The results willsurprise you.
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