When Somebody Owed Me Money…

Summary

• When someone owed me money, I approached it differently than others. Instead of being negative, I used positive labeling.
• Others threatened and belittled him, calling him dishonest and terrible. This only reinforced that behavior.
• I told him, "I know you're an honest person and you'll never do me wrong. I know you're good for it."
• The next day, he paid all the money he owed in full.
• By labeling him with positive traits, I encouraged him to live up to those traits.
• Most people want to maintain a positive image, so positive labeling can influence their behavior positively.

Video

How To Take Action

I would suggest implementing positive labeling in your business or personal life to get better outcomes from people. Here's what you can do to start:

Be Positive

Instead of pointing out negative traits, try highlighting positive traits. For example, if someone is late on a payment, say, "Hey, I know you're a responsible person and I trust you'll get this sorted out soon." This makes them want to live up to that positive image.

Use Encouragement

When you need help from someone, encourage them by acknowledging their strengths. Say things like, "I know you're really good at this, so I trust you'll do a great job." People generally strive to meet those positive expectations.

Practice Gratitude

Show appreciation for little things. A simple "Thank you for being reliable" can make people want to continue being reliable. Positive recognition encourages repeated good behavior.

Build Positive Relationships

Apply this approach not just in business but also in personal relationships. Compliment your friends or family by saying, "I see how kind and caring you are." This fosters an environment where people want to continue being kind and caring.

Consistency is Key

Be consistent with your positive labeling. Over time, people will start believing in those positive traits and you'll see an improvement in their behavior. It's a low-cost, high-value strategy that can change your interactions for the better.

By focusing on these simple, positive strategies, you'll find that people are more willing to meet your expectations and contribute positively. This approach costs nothing but a little effort and can yield significant returns.

Full Transcript

when someone owed me money here's what I did to get him to pay for two years this friend was known as the guy who never paid his bills what I did differently from the guys who had asked and basically threatened him and called him names and said bunch of mean things to him was that rather than saying hey I think you're terrible you're such a dishonest and terrible friend when I wanted to collect the money I just said hey man I just want you to know I'm not going to try and ask you to collect the money I know that you're an honest person and that you'll never do me wrong so I know you're good for it the next day he came and paid in full all of the money that he owed and the difference was a psychological feature called labeling everybody before this was labeling him as all these negative things and so he was living up to that new negative label they were saying he was dishonest they were saying he was a scumbag whatever it was and so instead I painted a positive picture and said hey I see you as all these positive things I hope that you act in accordance with that and most people when you give them a positive label will do everything they can and overemphasize character traits that are not normally present in themselves to maintain a positive label in someone else's eye