A mentalist is an individual who appears to have supernatural powers and who is able to deduce some personal information with specific techniques. Mentalists are very good at interpreting behavior, have excellent observation skills and are able to grasp every little detail. Many people, from scammers to conjurers, use mentalism techniques and psychology knowledge to interpret human behavior. Do you want to become the Francesco Tesei of the future? Here's how to do it.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Uncovering the Lies
Step 1. Quickly formulate hypotheses with knowledge of the facts
To be a mentalist you have to believe your intuitions. Unfortunately, many people don't have good observation skills. Very often individuals unknowingly provide information about themselves, which is usually not perceived. For example, what are the hands of the person in front of you like? Soft or callused? Do you have developed muscles? Is your clothing flashy or common? Now look at yourself, what could be inferred about you, just by observing you?
There are dozens of elements that can provide information to develop an individual's profile. Think Sherlock Holmes, he had no paranormal power, but he noticed things. A thin strip of tan on the ring finger of the left hand. A smudge of ink on his right hand. These two elements are enough to understand that the person in front of you is divorced or separated, and that he is right-handed. Trust your assumptions
Step 2. Look for clues in people's physical appearance
The work of a mentalist aims to mix memories and make information jump out, even if the subject is unable to remember them, through "signals". These "signals" will help you understand what the subject's mind is observing but his memory cannot remember. Know that even if a person says he does not remember anything, the brain records everything. This means that even if the information is not accessible to the subject at that time, it is still there. Among the possible "signals", there are:
- Pupil dilation or narrowing (dilation is associated with positive emotions, narrowing is associated with negative ones)
- The points where the gaze lingers
- The respiratory rate
- Heart rate
- Possible sweating
Step 3. Be your first guinea pig
It is not helpful to know what signs to look for if you don't know what they mean. Even though each person is slightly different, the signs are basically the same for everyone. Stand in front of the mirror and start studying your face. Here's what you need to look for:
- When you think of a pleasant memory, your pupils should dilate. When you think of a negative experience, they should shrink. Try to imagine some experiences and see what happens.
- Think about the answer for this question: What do you like about the beach? When you have formulated an answer, note where your gaze is directed. If your answer had to do with bonfires, then you have implemented a visualization process, and your gaze is directed upwards. If you have thought of something that resembles sound or smell, then your eyes have remained level. If you've been thinking about sand in your hands, then your gaze is probably looking down. The visual responses usually push the gaze upwards, the auditory ones keep it level, while the kinesthetic ones push it down.
- Get nervous. How does nervousness manifest itself in your body? What does the heart do? And the breath? Where are your hands? Now move from one emotion to another - sadness, happiness, stress, etc.
Step 4. Discover the lies
To find out if someone is lying low, look at the signs we just talked about. In fact, that's what a polygraph does, it measures blood pressure, pulse and sweating. The higher these values, the more likely that person is lying, but you can be even more effective than a polygraph, because you can notice if that person looks away, fiddles with their thumbs, or if their verbal communication doesn't match. the non-verbal one.
- An excellent idea is to learn to detect micro-expressions, small and rapid movements that allow you to understand how the subject really feels before being able to hide it. People often experience feelings of anguish or negative feelings that they do not want to show for one reason or another.
- Pay attention to the whole body. How often the person swallows, if he touches his nose or mouth, how he moves his hands, fingers and feet, what position he assumes while relating to you. Is it facing the door? He's probably subconsciously trying to escape!
Step 5. Ask questions firmly
To become a mentalist you have to persuade people. At the very least you have to persuade them that you are a mentalist! If you make a person believe that it is possible to "read his mind", he will end up confusing telepathy with observation / persuasion. An easy way to do this is to ask questions firmly.
In this Francesco Tesei and other television characters are very good. They start from "I'm seeing a 19. Does it have a particular meaning for any of you?". They start out vaguely and wait for someone to sense relationships with what they said. When someone has taken the bait, they say things like "you were very close to them, weren't you?" and consequently the person responds, feeling that he has been understood. They ask very vague questions, and the people who answer fill in their gaps
Step 6. Practice observing the room carefully
Focus on the details that the environment provides. Observe all human interactions, from single ones to groups of people. Often even a ten-second glance can make you understand the mood of each person in the room.
- If you see a person or two by the door, you can assume they are suffering from social anxiety. Have you noticed a person whose body language is clearly focused on another? It means that that person feels an interest in the other, probably of a sexual nature. If several people are aligned towards a single individual, then you have found the alpha. And these are just three examples.
- If you can, record your interactions. Start with small segments, observe, record and review the footage several times to find information you weren't able to notice before.
Part 2 of 3: Convince Others
Step 1. Memorize "guidelines" about the behaviors of the people you are dealing with
This means that you need to understand how a person normally reacts in a given situation. Since people are different, you will be much more effective if you have some guidelines memorized in advance. In this way you will realize the degree of receptivity that that person shows towards you!
Just think about how flirtatious people behave. When they are comfortable, they touch and tease people they find attractive, perhaps joking together. Other people, even if they feel comfortable, may consider these behaviors a violation of that person's intimacy. They both have the same feelings, but they show them differently
Step 2. Be confident
Being confident is the key to convincing others. How are politicians elected? What does a salesperson do to succeed in their business? Who's the one that's always surrounded by girls? Of course, there is always a hand of intelligence and beauty (which never hurt), but the most important factor is the sense of security. If you are sure of yourself, people will not think of questioning you.
If you are nervous about your mentalist career, you need to change your mind! Right now you are trying to sell your image. People will seek you out because you are persuasive, not because you provide logical or accurate information. When you realize that it is not what you say but how you say it that matters, you will feel the pressure vanish
Step 3. Listen
The fact is, people often say more than we think. If we were good listeners, a whole new world would open up to us. Our memory would improve and we would be able to make connections that we did not even imagine before. This is what mentalists do!
To listen efficiently and be a good mentalist you need to be able to read between the lines. Try to understand what people mean when they speak. If a friend comes up to you and says “mammamiaaa, today in the gym I struggled tantissiiiiimo!”, What he is saying is actually “please give me a pat on the back. I need to be told that I am thin”. It is this metacommunication that will allow you to truly understand people
Step 4. Behave naturally
Don't put on a show, if you pretend to be someone you're not and put on a drama, people will guess and not trust it. Be yourself, you will be able to be much more convincing.
If anything, try to be slightly amused. Think of those actors who when interviewed always show a beautiful smile and have an easy laugh. This makes them appear completely relaxed, and "cool". Learn from them
Step 5. Generate ideas
And you who thought that Inception was just a fantastic Leonardo DiCaprio film. While it is not yet possible to graft dreams, you can still do it with ideas. Say you want someone to think of a word, "watch" for example. Insert the word into a casual conversation before makeup, take a (quick) look at your watch, and ask that person to think of something, such as an accessory. Bam. You read his mind.
Start with simple experiments, like the one just explained. Try grafting ideas into the minds of a couple of friends without them noticing. When you can graft 5 or 6 words with ease, then you can impress your friends in a second
Step 6. Don't reveal your secrets
If you have tried to ask a magician to reveal his tricks, you know full well that this request cannot be fulfilled. A magician shouldn't even explain the tricks of others. The same is true for you! If someone asks you to reveal the makeup, shrug your shoulder and tell them it's part of your wonderful personality.
Don't reveal your tricks even accidentally. "Ah, I noticed that you looked up to the left," he tells him that you are observing the position of the eyes, even if you do not say what it means. People have to believe that you have special powers that others don't. Be mysterious, this will increase their curiosity
Part 3 of 3: Improve
Step 1. Read everything you can about mentalists and how they work
There are many books on how to interrogate people and interpret even the smallest facial movement, and also on body signals and mental manipulation!
Step 2. Learn about different areas, always connected to each other
Venture out to find information on fields of interest similar to this one for more credibility, and also why you might find it interesting. Read something about the interpretation of dreams, tarot cards, astrology, telepathy and telekinesis, just to name a few. All this information will make you very versatile!
Consider learning new skills as well. Read something about hypnosis, hand reading, and other techniques on this trail. That way, once you've become a full-fledged mentalist, you can say “I could have hypnotized you, but I didn't need it”, without having to lie
Step 3. Train your mind
The brain is a muscle, really. If you don't exploit it, it becomes useless. Start playing chess, Sudoku, and solve riddles. Spend your free time reading DIY manuals and make something. Paint (this activity is perfect for learning to grasp the details). Take an acting class (also great for learning to understand emotions and observe details). All of these activities can help you improve your mental powers.
Use the Internet. There are hundreds of sites to keep your mind in exercise. Critical and deductive reasoning are not essential to becoming a mentalist, but they allow you to practice your skills much faster! Sherlock may also notice that his finger is missing, but if he takes two days to understand the implications, Watson risks dying of boredom. So keep yourself mentally agile
Step 4. Look for a job that allows you to use your talent
Whether you are trying to be a magician, whether you decide to be a criminologist or the star of the show, you can use your observation skills and your mind reading skills! You will perfect your techniques and along the way you will also learn new ones.
Advice
- Before reaching a decent level of mentalism, years will have to pass, be prepared for this eventuality. It's not something you can learn in a week or two.
- Becoming a credible mentalist takes dedication. <It is not a quick or easy process and there are thousands of variables to consider regarding human behavior. To be a mentalist you need to make a multi-disciplinary effort, since you need to understand advanced psychological theories, learn persuasion techniques, and dedicate an incalculable number of hours to observation and interpretation.
- Using your skills consistently will help you improve and reinforce the techniques you have already learned.
- Start with simple things. Better to succeed with something simple, rather than fail trying to do something too complex for your level.
Warnings
- Pay attention to how you use the mentalist skills you have learned. The techniques themselves are neither good nor bad, it is only the use you make of them that determines their value.
- If you ask a friend to help you improve your skills, make sure in advance that he agrees. During the first few years it can happen that mistakes are made that could cost a lot in terms of human relationships, especially if the techniques were used without the consent of the person involved or if the results are negative.
