The great thing about using somebody’s imagination to support your ideas is that you don’t really need to know the content of their imagination, just the structure.
One of the most profound things about studying and applying covert and conversational hypnosis is the difference between “content” language and “structure” language.
When you speak in content language, your “content” had better match up with their “content” or else you’re going to break rapport, and go off into your own mental corners where you’ll fight over whose model of the world is more “correct.”
Not an effective strategy for persuasion.
If, on the other hand, you speak in “structure” language, they’ll fill in the content with whatever is most appropriate for them. The weird (and sometimes metaphysical) thing about this is that while you’re thinking in terms of your own content, and their thinking in terms of their own content, you’ll be in total agreement, even if your respective “contents” are diametrically opposed.
Here’s an example.
Let’s say you wanted to convince your friend that “Eating tomatoes is healthy.”
Now, let’s suppose in an effort to convince your friend that tomatoes were healthy, you said something like this:
“You should eat tomatoes because they have lots of vitamin C.”
Now, here, “vitamin C” is the content. If that’s important to them, they’ll eat a tomato. If it’s not they’ll wonder what’s wrong with you.
But what if you said:
“Yesterday I read about this study that showed tomatoes have plenty of surprising health benefits.”
In this sentence, there is a lot of “vague content” that will have to be filled in by your listener.
For example:
What kind of study?
Who published it?
Where was it written “about”?
What kind of health benefits?
Why are they surprising?
Now, unless you’re some sleazy door to door salesman who is talking to the president of the local tomato haters club, they’ll likely fill in the blanks with whatever positive elements they come up with.
This means that your idea, “tomatoes are healthy” will be supported by their imagination, without you even knowing what this is.
To learn even more about how you can use the language patterns from covert hypnosis to easily slip your ideas into the minds of others, and have them supported by their own imagination, then check this out:
You’ll be amazed how fun it can be!