How to change someone’s mind. It’s a topic that’s come up a few times before on the podcast. For example, I talked to Jonah Berger about how to make inroads by asking for less. I also spoke with Tali Sharot about how to get further by focusing first on what you have in common.

Yet there’s one tip that’s never made the list. And it’s one that’s proven to have an incredible impact. In fact, we’ve seen some of our most compelling entertainers regularly use it to their advantage, performers like comedians, magicians, and script writers.

It’s the element of surprise.

Michael Rousell writes about it in his book, The Power of Surprise: How Your Brain Secretly Changes Your Beliefs. Teacher, psychologist, and professor emeritus at Southern Oregon University, Michael has studied the topic of surprise for over three decades, and he’s tested it with his students. He makes a compelling case for why we should use it more than we do and provides clear instructions on how we can.

Episode Links

Seven and a Half Lessons about the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett

Sam Harris and Making Belief

Confirmation bias

Wolfram Schultz and dopamine

Elaboration Likelihood Model

The Catalyst by Jonah Berger

Michael Rousell TEDxSalem

Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better by Will Storr

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

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