Law 23 of Human Agreement

This is a simple law of nature, but one which is very handy:

A human will tend to resist any change about which he has not been consulted.

That's it.

Don't make changes -- no matter how beneficial -- which will affect another human, without first saying something like "I notice that your car is broken. I could fix it for you. Should I?". Exceptions? Sure. Buy your girl a diamond bracelet; probably things will work out. But generally, consult first, then change stuff. Everybody happy.

Even if you already know what you're going to do, ask them for ideas first. Even if, when consulted, they claim your desired change is a terrible idea, you will still get better acceptance if they've had a chance to say. (At the very least, they'll feel satisfied that they told you so!) Take it for a test drive; you'll see.

Knowing this important secret of the universe, go forth and prosper.

How to Pick Up Girls (Part 1)

Wichita Falls, Texas. Spring 1971. A bright idea pays off.

Havingness, noun, Your willingness, often automatic, to experience something in your life; how much you are 'having' of something, such as: love-life, money, nice apartment, etc.

From puberty to age 26, I had been incompetent in learning about women, and then one day it dawned upon me that this was something I could systematically learn. I'd learned other things; why not learn this?

So I did. I studied carefully, and then discovered that the Havingness Concept provides a key that makes it easy ...

[Read more ... ]

The Lesson of the Paper Bag

Today I found Adrienne laughing in the kitchen. "We're out of sacks for the trash," she said. I should add that we normally put the trash into large brown grocery-store bags.

"I got this one," she said, holding up a white plastic sack with a cute pink drawcord. "It's silly, though, because I saw one of these over at [somebody's] house, and looked all over to find one." She looked at me expectantly.

"So I see you found one?" I said.

[Read more ... ]

Law 23 of Human Comprehension of Numbers

This is a simple law of nature, but one which is very handy:

A human can comprehend approximately two numbers.

That's it.

Don't ever offer a bunch of numbers to a human at the same time. Try to offer only two numbers at any one time. Feel like a wild, risk-taking kind of guy? OK, offer three numbers at a time. Beyond that? A waste of time.

Knowing this important secret of the universe, go forth and prosper.