More on this book that I can't get enough of:

The Power of Perspective

“You can Read Anyone,” by David J. Lieberman has provided some useful insight into getting people to donate time, money or really anything.

In the chapter, How are things… Really? Dr. Liberman talks about the power of perspective.

He writes, “Studies show when someone is presented with a small request and subsequently honors it, he is infinitely more likely to agree to a larger request – the thing we wanted him to do in the first place.”

Dr. Liberman tells of a demonstration from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology where two psychologists went door-to-door asking some homeowners if they’d allow a huge “DRIVE CAREFULLY” sign to be placed in their front yard; only 17% agreed.

Other residents were asked a smaller request – to put a three inch “BE A SAFE DRIVER” sign in a front window; nearly all residents agreed. A few weeks later, 76% of this same group agreed to have the gigantic sign placed in their front yard.

Lieberman says “When people take small steps in one direction, they strive to maintain a sense of consistency by then agreeing to larger requests.”

By agreeing first to the small request, the people had reshaped their self-concept to include that they are serious about driver safety. By agreeing to the larger request, they are doing something for a cause they already firmly “believed” in supporting.

Dr. Lieberman then goes on to say that this phenomenon extends to many areas of our lives such as when we find things aren’t going well, they are really not going well. He writes “Our world, and how we interact with is, is largely determined by our own perceptions and our perceptions are anchored in our self-concept – the way we see ourselves.”

PERCEPTION IS REALITY!