Fwd: How'd that weirdo get inside your brain?

I'm still sharing the "survival rules for entrepreneurs" here… … cuz I'm getting seriously bummed about so many folks falling into these "should-be-easy-to-spot" traps. Sometimes, my consulting clients sound like they're competing with each other… … to see who can violate the most rules. And ruin their lives the fastest.  Not you, of course.  Still, it's good to know what kind of rules a grizzled pro like me has come up with over the years.  Here's Rule #6: Learn who's who in the "control room" of your brain. It's not just you in there. There are lots of other "versions" of you fighting for the joy stick that controls your actions, your motivations, your pursuit of goals and happiness. Some are solid versions of the sensible, rational you. The dude you like so much. Some, however, are self-sabotaging versions, or even emotional wrecks who melt down way too easily.  None of us escape this. But most folks never realize the mob scene inside our own heads. For example: You know that most buying decisions are emotional, right? That's salesmanship 101a.  But what veteran copywriters realize is that first, you go through the "ape brain" — you appeal to the most basic interests of your prospect… … using shocking headlines, outrageous hooks, and storylines that challenge his sense of reality. My advice has always been to make your ad the most exciting thing he's read all day — the one event in his often boring life that gets his blood moving, and ignites base desires that must be addressed. That's how you get inside his mind. But to close the deal, you then have to make a rational case… essentially appealing to his pre-frontal cortex — the newer slab of brain material that makes humans human. Gives us the ability to think about the future, imagine things outside our immediate experience, and think critically about whether we really want your darned product or not.  Then… you switch modes again, and lay it on thick to his emotional side to close the deal.  He often has to be brought to the point of saying "Ah, what the heck… I'm in"…  … because, rationally, it can be tough to decide to buy, no matter how much you "desire" something. Pulling out your wallet can be a real effort for Mr. Rational… … but much, much easier for Mr. What The Heck. So, you can see how — just like your prospect who became a customer -- your brain's control room is actually staffed with a bunch of different "you's".  You can even watch this process in action the next time you buy something. Just pay close attention to how your thinking changes as you hear the pitch, then consider your options, and then decide whether to buy or not.  You're allowing a different version of you to dominate the control panel at each point.  For entrepreneurs, the problem arrives when you aren't aware who's in charge…  … and you've got some important decisions to make.  At the very least, you're ahead of the game when you admit there is an emotional nutcase in there, a rational dude who may avoid all risk (even when a little risk is absolutely called for), a greedy ape who just wants what it wants (and to hell with consequences)… … and so on.  With this realization, you move from being clueless about how you actually make decisions (which is how most civilians live)…  … to becoming a self-aware biz owner who knows when he should ignore a hunch, or go with it, or do a little internal arguing before dropping the hammer. Seems silly, doesn't it?  It isn't.  I swear to you, your brain's control room is crawling with characters. Some you would recognize. Some you aren't yet fully aware of.  And it's often those weirdo's you gotta watch out for.  Next week: More rules.  Stay frosty, John   P.S. At the end of this month, we're hosting our first Platinum Mastermind meeting of the year. In Las Vegas, this time. Talk about characters roaming around. And we'll likely be going deeper into stuff just like this rule… because often, this kind of grizzled pro insight is how you solve problems, obliterate sticking points, and quickly move up a level or two in your quest for wealth and happiness. I know you've been considering joining a mastermind. That's what smart entrepreneurs do — every top biz owner and writer I know loves masterminds. It's where the great ideas come to fruition… ... and the fun part of making the Big Bucks kicks into high gear. We've been hosting ours for over 9 years now. Why not at least treat yourself to checking it out here. I mean, could it really hurt to see what so many other folks just like you have said about their experience with us? Hope you have a great weekend.     This message was sent to stevescott@techacq.com from: John Carlton | john@johncarltonemail.com | Carlton Ink | 316 California Ave #114 | Reno, NV 89509 Email Marketing by Manage Your Subscription