How to persuade people to see things your way, even if you aren’t Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Forget about superpowers like invisibility, supersonic flight, or shape-shifting.

In everyday life, what you really need to achieve your goals, meet your targets, and be more likable...isn’t a superpower at all.

It’s a skill that anyone can master, and it’s called persuasion. Rather than convincing, pleading, or “leading others to the light”, it’s all about getting them to want what you want.

Everyone dreams of being that guy or gal. The sales whiz who always gets others to realize how much they need their product. The confident worker whose proposals are quickly approved by bosses. The partner or spouse who manages to avoid tense conflicts by getting their partner to see their point of view.

When you lack the skills you need to persuade others, life can seem like one failure after another. You can be knowledgeable, skilled, and experienced, but find it difficult to close a deal, motivate a team, or excite loved ones about your personal and family goals.

Science shows that people are more likely to be persuaded when requests are aligned with their values, self-image, and future goals. You don’t have to fake friendliness, be a mastermind, or employ Machiavellian tactics.

It’s all the opposite. Persuasive people are authentic and trustworthy. This is why people often outsource their decision-making to them and are less likely to question their motives.

Persuasion isn’t about taking over others’ goals, either. Instead, it involves reading people and leveraging your intuitive knowledge, so you find the commonality between their vision and yours.