If you understand the embedded suggestion languge pattern of covert hypnosis, then this little implementation of it will catch your interest.

You can use the phrase “I said to myself” to bury a suggestion in a conversation.  Quoting yourself is just part of a mini-story that takes the other person’s unconscious “armour” off.

For example:

When I was in a situation like that once, I said to myself, “Just make a decision and move forward”, and then I was much more clear about my direction.  When I first hit a roadblock I said to myself, “You’ll surprise yourself by finding a way around the problem”, and sure enough I managed to come up with a creative solution.

Using this pattern can be very effective.  I remember telling myself “just use this pattern more often” when I was first learning about hypnosis.

If you are doing any work in covert hypnosis then you absolutely have to start using the quotes technique as a way to embed commands.  It’s simple, brilliant, and effective.

Here is how it works.  You simply decide up front what you want to embed as a command.  Then you make up something that someone *else* could have said where that command is built-in as part of the sentence. Finally, you deliver the command to your subject.

Say you wanted to ensure that your friend cleared his schedule on Friday night so that he could help you plan an event.  You know he has something interesting going on, and will probably try to avoid it if you just ask him directly.  After building rapport you might say:

“I was reading a really interesting newspaper article this morning.  The columnist had done a tone of research on the importance of giving.  He interviewed a bunch of people who were really generous with their time or money, and then he interviewed a bunch of people who were really stingy about helping others.  Here’s what he said that really made me think.  It’s important to dedicate enough time to help people.  It always comes back to reward you in the end” (italics marks out the embedded command).

…and then you can subtly shift gears to another topic.  A minute or so later, you simply ask for help and you’ll very likely get it.  So if your friend was originally going to say “no” and make his other event seem much moe important, you’ll have seeded a feeling of “need to help” within him.

This doesn’t classify as what most people would consider “hypnosis”, because there is no formal trance induction.  I say who cares!  The point is that you’ve used covert techniques to manipulate someone else’s state of mind and his or her behavior.  That’s what you’re after, right?