Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Share The Most Effective Psychological Tricks They Use To Get By

It puts the lotion in the basket....

Mind games. Life's survival is based on the best of the best of mind games. Sometimes you just gotta get someone to do what you need, like diffuse a dangerous situation. Is it always right or morally ethical? NO. But please, let he is without sin cast the first stone. A little trickery goes a long way... often for good.

Redditor u/PM_ME_UR_PUPPYDOGS wanted us all to fess to some shady yet clever mind games we've all played.... What is the most effective psychological "trick" you use?


Be responsible with your powers....

Think of my future self...

  • How will my future self feel in an hour or two if I skip my gym session?
  • Will my future self be happy if I do this pile of dishes now, before bed? Or would he prefer to have to do it in the morning, before work?
  • I have a three month deadline on this project, will my future self appreciate my current self taking the first three or four weeks easy, or will he be really pissed off?

...essentially delayed gratification. Pretty much all the bad stuff gives us instant gratification, while all the good stuff has delayed gratification. I always try to remember that - if I have to wait to reap the rewards then it's probably the best option. TheGrog1603

Check! People are lemmings... 

Set expectations low and blow peoples minds with my mediocrity. midnightcheese

Sometimes you just need a hug! 

This isn't something I've used but I think it's worth sharing. Derren Brown said that once there was a muscley drunk guy that wanted to beat him up and said the classic "what are you looking at." Derren replied with "the wall outside my house is four feet tall." The idea is that it puts the aggravated person on the back foot and takes them out of that adrenaline filled state. Anyways he sat down and the guy started crying to him about his GF. He is Derren Brown though so I wouldn't recommend this to everyone. Jimeh86

I'm Listening....

I wear noise-cancelling headphones at work. 90% of the time they're not making a sound, I just want all my weird coworkers to back off. And it works. They are the Headphones Of Shielding. AdamFeoras

The Game of Love...

Idk if this is an actual thing or not... or maybe just distractions... but when I do something annoying or bothersome to my husband and he goes quiet, I wait a few minutes and then I ask him a seemingly innocent question, usually on the subject of how certain parts of a car works, or something mechanical. This gets him talking about the car thing and he rambles for like 5 minutes and then bam! He's happy again and not quietly brooding. I'll never tell him I do that because I'm afraid it won't work anymore if he knows about it. It's foolproof though, it works every single time, no matter how bothered he is. alskdjfhgtk

What they had said was.... 

To avoid workplace drama and be well liked is to just compliment people behind their back. jakobdee

I would never say this to her face, but she's a wonderful person and a gifted artist. HerpesHummus

Nod and Smile... 

When somebody shy is speaking, if you look at them and nod your head it encourages them to keep talking. SectoidEngineer

I'm hard of hearing, I've spent a lot of my life nodding at my family to show I've heard and understood so they don't ask "did you hear that." I do it at work, especially in meetings. I get a lot of attention from the speaker as I look like the only person actively listening. nikkibic

Just laugh.... 

I'm a professional poker player. When I am in a pot with one other player, I often try to make them laugh when they are thinking about what to do. If you can get them to laugh, it sets them in a mood where they are unlikely to bluff. (I talk a lot in general it's very common to make jokes at the table even in hands). Amo4sho4sho

A Positive Outlook....

Instead of arguing I start off by agreeing and then state my point of view after addressing the other person's point. Always ends in a positive interaction. cloudstrife1191

Eye Contact!

When someone is trying to throw excuses or generally if they're getting a bit foolish about something, often the best way to handle it is to stare back with mild interest and contribute nothing to their monologue. If you don't give them anything to work with they'll talk themselves into a corner and lose confidence in what they're saying.

I learned this trick from an old Director who used to control pretty much any meeting room scenario by being the most silent and impassive person in the room. I fondly remember the time someone asked him a ridiculous question and he just stared at him for about 15 seconds. 15 seconds is a long time to be stared at in a room full people. The guy wilted into his chair and nobody could work out if the Director was angry or just quietly mulling it over. pinky0926

REDDIT

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Close-up of an unrecognizable hand texting on a phone.
Photo by DuoNguyen on Unsplash

People Reveal The Worst Thing They've Ever Texted The Wrong Person

Mistexting can be perilous.

I have had literal panic attacks about it.

Keep Reading Show less
Halle Berry speaks during SiriusXM's Front Row Series with the cast of "Crime 101."
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for SiriusXM

Halle Berry Reveals Her Teachers Refused To Accept That She Was Voted Prom Queen Over A White Girl

Halle Berry has cemented herself as a Hollywood icon, from her breakout role as Angela Lewis in Boomerang to her historic Academy Award win for Monster’s Ball to the way she continues to shape her own future by producing and directing her own film projects and advocating on social media.

But behind those milestones lies a life lesson rooted in self-definition and learning to survive spaces not built with her in mind.

Keep Reading Show less
Gavin Newsom; Donald Trump
Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images; Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Gavin Newsom Bashes Trump For Questioning How People Of Faith Can Vote Democrat At National Prayer Breakfast

California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized President Donald Trump for questioning during an appearance at the bipartisan National Prayer Breakfast how people of faith can vote for a Democrat.

Trump's comments came during a rambling 75-minute speech at the Washington Hilton in D.C. He falsely alleged Democrats "cheat" in elections and reiterated his call for voter identification laws after his recent remarks about having Republicans "take over the voting" in at least 15 states.

Keep Reading Show less
Lindsey Vonn; Breezy Johnson
Kevin Voigt/GettyImages; IOC via Getty Images

Lindsey Vonn's Olympic Teammate Defends Her Decision To Compete Despite Rupturing Her ACL

Olympic champion skier Lindsey Vonn suffered a terrifying setback with just one week left until the Milan Cortina Olympic Games: a ruptured ACL.

But Vonn has made the risky decision to compete in downhill skiing anyway, and her teammate Breezy Johnson is backing her up.

Keep Reading Show less
Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell
Leon Bennett/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Finneas Epically Defends Billie Eilish From 'Old White Men' Attacking Her Over Her Anti-ICE Grammys Speech

During Sunday's Grammy Awards telecast, several artists used their platform to promote social justice and human rights.

Among them was singer-songwriter Billie Eilish, who addressed atrocities committed by the administration of MAGA Republican President Donald Trump through Kristi Noem's Department of Homeland Security via her Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) employees.

Keep Reading Show less