“Roughly speaking, any man with energy and enthusiasm ought to be able to bring at least a dozen others round to his opinion in the course of a year no matter how absurd that opinion might be.”
Aleister Crowley,
British Occultist
(1929)
While Crowley was one of the more controversial figures of the early 20th century, his point is an excellent one: a speaker’s energy and enthusiasm captivate an audience and lay the groundwork for persuasion.
Energy and enthusiasm are intangible qualities that the audience sees and hears, including:
- Smiling
- Speaking at a strong volume
- Direct eye contact
- Use of positive, uplifting language
Just think what you can do with your opinions that aren’t so absurd…