Imagine you are speaking with your partner, about why they should exercise.
You’ve had this conversation 100 times before and you’re just going in circles.
You’ve got to try something else.

No one likes to be bossed around or doing something they don’t want to do.
If instead of telling them, you ask them the right questions, they’ll be able to figure out it on their own and then they’ll want to do it.
We call this process mediation.

When we are mediating a client, spouse, child, friend or even an investor, we are turning their brain from passive listening to active learning.

Now instead of words going in one ear and out the other, the brain has to think about it, process it and understand it so it can come up with answer.

Here are few things to remember when mediating:

1. Next time you want to convince someone, give advice or help them out, don’t tell them. Ask them questions to help them come to conclusion themselves.

2. The better questions you ask, the better answers you’ll get, so practice asking high quality questions. With a growth mindset, you’ll get better at this.

3. Listen to what the person is saying and ask follow-up questions accordingly. Don’t come with a list of questions ahead of time. It’s not a test. It’s about connecting with the other person and asking them the questions they need to hear.

4. Remember it takes time and patience. Asking questions usually takes more time right now. It’s much easier to just say what you want to say, but in the long run, they’ll be doing it much faster and enjoy doing it more.

Your challenge this week is to mediate someone instead of just telling them.

Ask them high quality questions, connect to them, listen to what they are saying and have patience.

Remember, they're not going to take anything you say you seriously if they don't think you care about them. Make sure they first feel understood and know that you're doing what's best for them.

Practice and you'll start seeing the payoff real soon!