I was asked "what can hypnosis do that motivational speaking will not give me?" My reply was that hypnosis will give you lasting and permanent results, whereas motivational speaking generally fades after a few weeks. Actually, if motivational talks worked, you would only have to go to one, and you would be set for life. And as has often been observed, if the speaker was so successful, why are they still trying to get money from the listeners?
Why do motivational seminars not last?
The structure of a motivational speaking event
To answer that question you have to look at the structure of a motivational speaking event. They all follow a fairly standard format.
- The speaker is introduced as someone wealthy, successful, happy, fulfilled.
The objective of this is to make the listener believe that they too can become wealthy, successful, happy, et cetera.
- The speaker then asks if the listeners also want to be wealthy, successful, happy, et cetera.
The listeners are encouraged to shout out and affirm that yes they too want to be wealthy and successful. This sets up a positive mindset in the listener. It also generates a group effect.
- Then the speaker tells some story about how they hit rock bottom financially and psychologically.
The purpose of this is to connect with the audience. To let them know that the speaker has actually been worse than they are.
- The speaker then explains how they accidentally found the answer to everything.
This makes the listeners think that they too could get out of their present situation. If they knew the answer, they too can be wealthy, successful, happy and so on. Which then raises the expectation in the listeners that they want to know what the answer is. Right now.
- The speaker then says the answer is some form of mental attitude. And then illustrates the point over and over with any number of videos, stories, and guest presenters.
- That is usually followed by some suggestion of 'secret' metaphysical powers that you can get by using the "secret answer".
Why motivational speaking fails
The object of this is to put the onus for success on the listener. It works only if the listener believes it. Any failure is therefore because the listener does not believe enough. It also makes the proposition untestable, and therefore not subject to the normal standards of proof.
- Various methods are promoted for achieving wealth, success, happiness, but they all involve goal setting.
The listeners are encouraged to set out their goals in detail.
- The combination of a clear goal plus the "secret answer" is promised to give success without effort. The message is "Just focus on your goal, and it will happen".
- The listeners leave highly motivated and ready to change their lives.
- The motivation fades over the next few days and weeks.
The listener is then ready to sign up for the next motivational speaking guru who comes along with a different "secret answer".
This formula is tried and tested, and virtually guaranteed to fail. Motivational speaking fails because although having a clear goal is good, it is not enough. Nothing happens without effort. If you don't change, your life won't change.
Why hypnosis works better
The reason that hypnosis sessions usually have a better outcome is because a personalised hypnotherapy session doesn't just motivate you. It also identifies the factors stopping you from having success. And a good hypnotist will build in suggestions for how to identify the things holding you back. And once identified, the hypnotist will enable your unconscious mind to find ways to overcome those things. That procedure has a much higher chance of success. That is why hypnosis is superior to motivational speaking.
