Influence is Your Superpower

"Do you want to sell sugar-water for the rest of your life? Or do you want to come with me and change the world?" – A question that transformed Apple's trajectory and a testament to the power of influence.

1. Recognizing Your Built-In Superpower

We are all born with influence as our innate power. From infancy, our cries prompt caretakers to act, and our ability to persuade grows as we age. Yet many lose touch with it as they grow up.

Cultural conditioning often emphasizes being nice and accommodating over advocating for personal desires. However, influence doesn't mean being manipulative or dismissive; it means discovering ways to achieve meaningful outcomes for all involved. This is an ability we can reclaim and refine.

Influence has the ability to shape our lives and the world around us. Whether it's sparking movements, changing attitudes, or creating positive change for communities, it’s an ability that, when recognized and nurtured, can unlock immense possibilities.

Examples

• Babies use crying to demand attention and care, instinctively influencing others to act.
• Kids experiment with charm, negotiation, and even blackmail to get their way.
• Movements like Black Lives Matter exemplify the transformative impact of collective influence.

2. Thinking Like a Gator and a Judge

Human cognition operates in two systems: the instinctual "Gator Brain" and the analytical "Judge Brain." Most decisions and actions come from the Gator, which is fast, efficient, and often lazy.

The Gator Brain controls habitual actions and quick decisions, managing mental energy by relying on shortcuts. By contrast, the Judge Brain governs deliberate, logical thinking. However, the Judge rarely engages unless the Gator deems it necessary.

To persuade effectively, aim your messaging at the Gator first. Simplify the call to action, make decisions effortless, and remove mental barriers. This way, you'll bypass overthinking and get results faster.

Examples

• Dominoes' "Anyware Campaign" allowed customers to order pizza by simply texting a pizza emoji, which lifted sales by 10 percent.
• Digital travel campaigns often falter because they require too much input, but Hong Kong's rain-activated sidewalk campaign captured attention effortlessly.
• Snappy slogans like Nike's "Just Do It" resonate with the Gator's quick, instinctual nature.

3. The Power of Asking

Simply asking for what you want is an underrated but highly effective strategy. Fear of rejection often stops people from even trying. However, bold requests can yield surprising results.

Jia Jiang’s "100 Days of Rejection Therapy" tested this technique. By making absurd requests every day, he learned to handle rejection and even received unexpected yesses. Asking doesn’t guarantee success, but it opens doors that would never appear otherwise.

Moreover, refusing occasionally can help you better understand the mindset of those rejecting you. This builds empathy and equips you to frame future requests more productively.

Examples

• Jia Jiang asked Krispy Kreme to create Olympic ring-shaped donuts, and, shockingly, they agreed.
• During his experiment, neighbors let Jia play soccer in their yard after he requested to join.
• Saying "no" in your own life teaches valuable boundaries and reduces fear of hearing it from others.

4. Make the Pitch Simple and Smart

The way a request is presented can be more important than the content. Words and timing work together. An audience will respond better when they're in the right mindset and your language is clear and compelling.

Avoid phrases like "I was just wondering..." which weaken impact. Start strong, be concise, and avoid overusing "I" so that your ask feels like a team effort. Consider asking bigger than you expect and then lowering your request if needed—it plays into people’s natural desire to reciprocate.

Timing also matters. Choose when someone’s attention is primed, like pitching vacation deals on rainy days or asking for a raise after a big win at work.

Examples

• A Filipino airline agency increased online sales by 37 percent during monsoon season after using rain-revealing sidewalk ads.
• Asking "$30,000" instead of "$20,000" makes the latter sound more reasonable.
• Saying "What would it take for me to go part time?" invites collaboration instead of defensiveness.

5. Frame Matters More Than Facts

How we frame an idea directly influences how it's received. Framing aligns with human psychology by offering examples, shaping priorities, and igniting curiosity.

Steve Jobs famously used framing to recruit John Sculley to Apple. Instead of focusing on the job's risks, Jobs asked if Sculley wanted to "change the world" versus "selling sugar water," creating an irresistible vision. Making an offer relatable and appealing adjusts how people evaluate it.

Balancing monumental, manageable, and mysterious frames enhances persuasion. Combine all three wherever possible to speak to different aspects of your audience's psyche.

Examples

• Apple attracted a high-profile CEO using a monumental frame about changing the world.
• Debt repayment felt manageable for Australians whose bank split statements into easy-to-handle categories.
• Marie Kondo's "life-changing magic of tidying up" hooked countless readers with its balanced title framing.

6. Resistance Isn’t the Enemy

Every influencer will meet objections, but resistance doesn’t have to end the interaction. Redirect skepticism rather than fighting it.

Acknowledging doubts up front disarms your audience. Asking for permission to discuss matters frames the interaction as collaborative, reducing defensiveness. Positioning objections as opportunities for solutions can actually guide the conversation toward agreement.

Successful influencers act like martial artists: they use resistance to bolster their own momentum rather than letting it block them entirely.

Examples

• Beyond Meat anticipated objections from meat lovers by appealing to indulgence, not hunger or guilt.
• Ethan Brown partnered with fast food outlets to challenge taste objections head-on.
• Saying "Feel free to decline" reassures listeners and makes them more open to your pitch.

7. Timing is Everything

Even the best ideas can fall flat if delivered at the wrong time. Waiting for the right moment ensures that your audience is primed to hear your pitch.

Strategize knowing the recipients’ priorities, moods, or challenges. Avoid adding stress in inopportune circumstances. Proposing a solution or ask when they’re already experiencing a relevant issue is much more compelling.

Timing relies as heavily on empathy as it does planning, making small moments big opportunities.

Examples

• Travel deals hit harder during gloomy weather.
• Asking for funding after major market successes works better than during budget crises.
• Framing health products as immediate solutions during peak flu season increases uptake.

Takeaways

1. Simplify your requests so they're easy to understand—find your "pizza emoji" version of asking.
2. Reframe objections as questions. Instead of "Why isn't this possible?" ask "What would it take for this to happen?"
3. Practice hearing and saying "no" to reduce rejection fear and build resilience, a necessary tool for influential conversations.