When people tend to say something about themselves in public, they tend to act in accordance with that.
This is one of the reasons why telling all your friends you’re quitting smoking or losing weight is a good way to make it happen.
It’s also a reason why some jury trials last longer than others.
When people take a straw vote to start off with, juries where everybody says “guilty” or “not guilty” tend to last twice as long as ones where people write down “guilty” or “not guilty” anonymously on a slip of paper.
Once people make a public statement, they’re much less likely to change their mind.
How can you use this?
Whenever you’re persuading somebody, figure out how to convince them that what you’re asking them to do is very similar to stuff they’ve done in the past.
First, figure out what they’ve done in the past.
Then talk about those actions, so they’re fresh in their mind.
Then present your suggestion, and show them how similar it is to stuff they’ve already done.
This will make it a lot easier on them to make the decision.