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Show Notes
Stop Talking, Start Influencing (Jared Cooney Horvath)
- Amazon USA Store: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1925335909?tag=9natree-20
- Amazon Worldwide Store: https://global.buys.trade/Stop-Talking%2C-Start-Influencing-Jared-Cooney-Horvath.html
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/influence-human-behavior-3-in-1-techniques-and/id1503400733?itsct=books_box_link&itscg=30200&ls=1&at=1001l3bAw&ct=9natree
- eBay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Stop+Talking+Start+Influencing+Jared+Cooney+Horvath+&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5339060787&customid=9natree&toolid=10001&mkevt=1
- Read more: https://english.9natree.com/read/1925335909/
#influence #persuasionpsychology #neurosciencecommunication #messagedesign #publicspeaking #behaviorchange #leadershipcommunication #StopTalkingStartInfluencing
These are takeaways from this book.
Firstly, Attention is a scarce resource, so messages must compete and earn it, A core theme is that influence begins before content, with the battle for attention. Brain science suggests people do not passively absorb information; they filter relentlessly based on relevance, novelty, emotion, and perceived utility. The book emphasizes that long explanations, front-loaded detail, and unfocused openings often fail because the listener has not yet decided to allocate attention. Instead, effective communicators shape the context first: they signal why the message matters, create a clear goal, and reduce competing distractions. This can include using a compelling problem, a specific question, a surprising contrast, or a vivid scenario that makes the audience feel the stakes. Horvath also highlights that attention fluctuates, so influence requires rhythm. Breaking complex ideas into manageable chunks, varying delivery, and inserting moments that reset focus can outperform continuous talking. The practical takeaway is a shift from information dumping to attention design. When the communicator intentionally chooses what to highlight and what to omit, the audience has a better chance to track the narrative and stay engaged. In this view, brevity is not about cutting value but about making cognitive room for the value to land.
Secondly, Memory and stickiness depend on structure, not volume, The book frames stickiness as a memory problem: if people cannot recall the message later, it cannot influence their future choices. A common mistake is assuming that more facts create more persuasion, when in reality excess detail can overload working memory and reduce retention. Horvath points toward brain-based principles that favor organization, patterning, and meaning making. Clear structure, signposting, and repetition of a small number of key ideas help people encode and retrieve information. The book encourages communicators to build messages around a central spine, such as a single claim supported by a few memorable pillars, rather than a sprawling set of points. Another emphasis is elaboration, helping the audience connect new ideas to what they already know through analogies, concrete examples, and simple narratives. These techniques create retrieval cues, making the message easier to recall in real situations. The result is a practical approach to designing communications: decide what you want remembered, craft a distinct phrasing or framework for that idea, and then support it with examples that feel concrete and relevant. Stickiness becomes intentional, not accidental.
Thirdly, Emotion and meaning drive decisions more than pure logic, Horvath highlights that decision making is not a detached spreadsheet exercise. While logic matters, the brain often relies on emotional tagging and value judgments to prioritize options and motivate action. The book does not advocate manipulation; rather, it argues that every message already carries emotion, whether acknowledged or not. Effective influence comes from aligning the emotional tone with the intended outcome and helping the audience feel why the message matters to them. This can involve framing the message around benefits and losses, identity, belonging, fairness, or safety, depending on context. The book also underscores the importance of meaning, the sense that an idea fits into a larger story about who we are and what we care about. Communicators can cultivate meaning by connecting the message to shared goals, real consequences, and relatable human experiences. In practice, this means translating abstract concepts into lived outcomes, using specific scenarios, and clarifying what success looks like. When emotion and meaning are integrated with evidence, the message gains motivational force. People are more likely to remember it, discuss it, and act on it, because it feels personally relevant rather than merely correct.
Fourthly, Trust, credibility, and social context shape receptivity, Another important topic is that audiences evaluate the messenger as much as the message. Brain science and behavioral research suggest people use quick heuristics about credibility, intent, and group belonging to decide whether to engage. If trust is low, even strong arguments can bounce off. The book emphasizes building credibility through consistency, clarity, and evidence of care for the audience. This can be as simple as acknowledging constraints, demonstrating understanding of opposing views, and avoiding overstated claims that trigger skepticism. Social context matters too: people look to cues from peers, norms, and authority, especially in uncertain situations. Horvath encourages readers to consider who delivers the message, when it is delivered, and how the environment signals safety or threat. In workplaces, classrooms, or public debates, reducing defensiveness can be crucial. Practical strategies include asking questions that invite participation, using language that conveys collaboration rather than dominance, and creating shared definitions before arguing conclusions. Influence becomes more reliable when the communicator treats trust as a prerequisite to persuasion. By engineering the relationship and the setting, the same content can land very differently, with less resistance and more openness.
Lastly, Turning insight into action requires friction reduction and follow through, The book treats successful influence as observable behavior change, not applause or agreement in the moment. Even when people accept an idea, they may not act because the next step is unclear, effortful, or easy to postpone. Horvath highlights the importance of translating a message into a concrete path: specify the desired action, make it simple, and provide cues that support follow through. This aligns with brain-based insights about habit, motivation, and limited cognitive bandwidth. People are more likely to act when the action is small, immediate, and tied to an existing routine or environmental trigger. The book encourages communicators to anticipate obstacles and design around them, for example by offering a checklist, a default option, a clear deadline, or a brief rehearsal of the next step. Another theme is reinforcement: a single message rarely changes behavior permanently. Spacing, reminders, and opportunities to practice or revisit the idea can deepen learning and commitment. In this framework, influencing is not a one-time performance but a process. The communicator becomes a designer of conditions that make the right action the easiest action, increasing the chance the message persists in real life.
- Amazon USA Store: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1925335909?tag=9natree-20
- Amazon Worldwide Store: https://global.buys.trade/Stop-Talking%2C-Start-Influencing-Jared-Cooney-Horvath.html
- Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/influence-human-behavior-3-in-1-techniques-and/id1503400733?itsct=books_box_link&itscg=30200&ls=1&at=1001l3bAw&ct=9natree
- eBay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Stop+Talking+Start+Influencing+Jared+Cooney+Horvath+&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5339060787&customid=9natree&toolid=10001&mkevt=1
- Read more: https://english.9natree.com/read/1925335909/
#influence #persuasionpsychology #neurosciencecommunication #messagedesign #publicspeaking #behaviorchange #leadershipcommunication #StopTalkingStartInfluencing
These are takeaways from this book.
Firstly, Attention is a scarce resource, so messages must compete and earn it, A core theme is that influence begins before content, with the battle for attention. Brain science suggests people do not passively absorb information; they filter relentlessly based on relevance, novelty, emotion, and perceived utility. The book emphasizes that long explanations, front-loaded detail, and unfocused openings often fail because the listener has not yet decided to allocate attention. Instead, effective communicators shape the context first: they signal why the message matters, create a clear goal, and reduce competing distractions. This can include using a compelling problem, a specific question, a surprising contrast, or a vivid scenario that makes the audience feel the stakes. Horvath also highlights that attention fluctuates, so influence requires rhythm. Breaking complex ideas into manageable chunks, varying delivery, and inserting moments that reset focus can outperform continuous talking. The practical takeaway is a shift from information dumping to attention design. When the communicator intentionally chooses what to highlight and what to omit, the audience has a better chance to track the narrative and stay engaged. In this view, brevity is not about cutting value but about making cognitive room for the value to land.
Secondly, Memory and stickiness depend on structure, not volume, The book frames stickiness as a memory problem: if people cannot recall the message later, it cannot influence their future choices. A common mistake is assuming that more facts create more persuasion, when in reality excess detail can overload working memory and reduce retention. Horvath points toward brain-based principles that favor organization, patterning, and meaning making. Clear structure, signposting, and repetition of a small number of key ideas help people encode and retrieve information. The book encourages communicators to build messages around a central spine, such as a single claim supported by a few memorable pillars, rather than a sprawling set of points. Another emphasis is elaboration, helping the audience connect new ideas to what they already know through analogies, concrete examples, and simple narratives. These techniques create retrieval cues, making the message easier to recall in real situations. The result is a practical approach to designing communications: decide what you want remembered, craft a distinct phrasing or framework for that idea, and then support it with examples that feel concrete and relevant. Stickiness becomes intentional, not accidental.
Thirdly, Emotion and meaning drive decisions more than pure logic, Horvath highlights that decision making is not a detached spreadsheet exercise. While logic matters, the brain often relies on emotional tagging and value judgments to prioritize options and motivate action. The book does not advocate manipulation; rather, it argues that every message already carries emotion, whether acknowledged or not. Effective influence comes from aligning the emotional tone with the intended outcome and helping the audience feel why the message matters to them. This can involve framing the message around benefits and losses, identity, belonging, fairness, or safety, depending on context. The book also underscores the importance of meaning, the sense that an idea fits into a larger story about who we are and what we care about. Communicators can cultivate meaning by connecting the message to shared goals, real consequences, and relatable human experiences. In practice, this means translating abstract concepts into lived outcomes, using specific scenarios, and clarifying what success looks like. When emotion and meaning are integrated with evidence, the message gains motivational force. People are more likely to remember it, discuss it, and act on it, because it feels personally relevant rather than merely correct.
Fourthly, Trust, credibility, and social context shape receptivity, Another important topic is that audiences evaluate the messenger as much as the message. Brain science and behavioral research suggest people use quick heuristics about credibility, intent, and group belonging to decide whether to engage. If trust is low, even strong arguments can bounce off. The book emphasizes building credibility through consistency, clarity, and evidence of care for the audience. This can be as simple as acknowledging constraints, demonstrating understanding of opposing views, and avoiding overstated claims that trigger skepticism. Social context matters too: people look to cues from peers, norms, and authority, especially in uncertain situations. Horvath encourages readers to consider who delivers the message, when it is delivered, and how the environment signals safety or threat. In workplaces, classrooms, or public debates, reducing defensiveness can be crucial. Practical strategies include asking questions that invite participation, using language that conveys collaboration rather than dominance, and creating shared definitions before arguing conclusions. Influence becomes more reliable when the communicator treats trust as a prerequisite to persuasion. By engineering the relationship and the setting, the same content can land very differently, with less resistance and more openness.
Lastly, Turning insight into action requires friction reduction and follow through, The book treats successful influence as observable behavior change, not applause or agreement in the moment. Even when people accept an idea, they may not act because the next step is unclear, effortful, or easy to postpone. Horvath highlights the importance of translating a message into a concrete path: specify the desired action, make it simple, and provide cues that support follow through. This aligns with brain-based insights about habit, motivation, and limited cognitive bandwidth. People are more likely to act when the action is small, immediate, and tied to an existing routine or environmental trigger. The book encourages communicators to anticipate obstacles and design around them, for example by offering a checklist, a default option, a clear deadline, or a brief rehearsal of the next step. Another theme is reinforcement: a single message rarely changes behavior permanently. Spacing, reminders, and opportunities to practice or revisit the idea can deepen learning and commitment. In this framework, influencing is not a one-time performance but a process. The communicator becomes a designer of conditions that make the right action the easiest action, increasing the chance the message persists in real life.
