increase his desire for you.

[Sidenote: Reduce Resistance By Suggestion]

_Direct_ presentation of ideas indicates an intention to inform, to
teach, to direct the mind of the other man. Every human individual,
whether a child or a centenarian, _re-acts in opposition_ to such an
effort at instruction. There is something in all of us alike which makes
us wish to think and decide for ourselves. Hence the value of the art of
suggestion in getting yourself wanted.

Ideas you _suggest_ enter the mind of the other man so unobtrusively
that _he does not realize you originated them_. He has no feeling that
you intend to influence his mind. Consequently he makes no resistance to
the suggested ideas. _It never pays to reason when selling an idea;
because reasoning invariably brings out a reaction of opposition_. You
will not create a desire for your services by presenting them
_logically_, or by making an _argument_ regarding your capabilities. One
of the greatest students of the human mind assures us that "most persons
never perform an act of pure reasoning; but all their acts are the
results of imitation, habit, suggestion, or some related form of
thinking."

[Sidenote: Three Reasons For Using Suggestion]

Suggestion is remarkably effective in persuading and in arousing desire
because:

First, _every "suggested" idea is accepted as absolutely true unless it
is contradicted by other ideas already in the mind of the prospect_.
This is because the prospect thinks a _suggested_ idea is his. He adopts
it and makes it his own. That is, his mind takes the suggestion and
interprets it in terms of his own thoughts. Of course he believes what
he himself thinks. _Say_ to a prospective employer that you would
particularly like to work in association with him, and he may believe
you are "shooting hot air." He will have no such feeling if you tell him
details about his business that have especially interested you. _Show_
him that you have been studying and observing his methods. Give him to
understand that you have also investigated other businesses. Thus
without _saying_ it, you _suggest_ to his mind that you have come to his
office because you really would prefer to be employed there. He will
believe the suggested idea; though he might have scoffed at the
statement.

[Sidenote: Suggestion Avoids Contradiction]

Second, _suggestion is effective in persuasion and in arousing desire
because suggested ideas which include no compari