Persuasiveness is the ability to effectively communicate the merits of one’s ideas. I cultivate it by presenting my ideas diplomatically, to the right people, in the right way and at the right time. The opposite is unpersuasiveness.§
Comparing the actions of one who is persuasive to one who is unpersuasive§ |
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|---|---|---|
Situation§ |
Persuasiveness§ |
Unpersuasiveness§ |
When writing to a college seeking entrance, you…§ |
carefully craft the application, speaking to the issues you know are important to faculty of that college.§ |
compose a letter that will be generic enough to send to every school you think you might apply to.§ |
In your valedictorian speech, you…§ |
powerfully direct the graduating class toward their future.§ |
tell a few jokes and call it good.§ |
As to when to present new ideas, you…§ |
carefully choose a time that works well for all involved.§ |
remain clueless about the time constraints and moods of your audience.§ |
Gurudeva explained: “I say that if you have really made the religious teachings a part of your life, you will naturally be able to convince your family and friends of those wonderful truths. […] If you can’t convince your family of the teachings, that shows that they are just intellectual thoughts that in practice don’t mean anything to you.”§
“Those who say ‘Well, nobody understands me. I feel all alone on the path’ are going through a period in which they have memorized everything but understand very little and therefore cannot explain or convince their fellow man of these great truths due to the fact that their subconscious basement is still full.”§
ASSIGNMENT: These two weeks, whenever you need to convince another of your plan, be sure you start by understanding his ideas and objections.§
Date you began this assignment ____________________§
MY THOUGHTS ON THE BENEFITS OF PERSUASIVENESS: 
§
