Welcome to The Art of Persuasion. I'm Thomas Umstattd Jr., and I'd like to begin with a story.

Once upon a time, the wind was full of pride. "I am the strongest there is," he declared, boasting to the sun. The sun replied, "Is that so? Let’s put it to the test. Whoever can remove this cloak from the traveler’s back will prove to be the strongest." The wind eagerly agreed and went first.

Gathering all his strength, the wind blew fiercely. Clouds obscured the sun as the wind roared, but the traveler only clutched his cloak tighter. The harder the wind blew, the tighter the traveler held on, until the wind finally gave up, exhausted. Turning to the sun, the wind admitted defeat, saying, "It's impossible. No matter how hard I blow, he won’t let go of his cloak."

Then it was the sun’s turn. Emerging from behind the clouds, the sun shone brightly. Its rays grew warmer and warmer until, eventually, the traveler became so hot he removed the cloak himself.

This fable by Aesop illustrates two opposing views of persuasion. The wind represents the wrong approach of forcing facts and arguments onto someone until they resist even more. Many think persuasion is about overwhelming the opposition, but as the saying goes, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still."

In this course, we’ll explore what truly works to change minds. We'll tackle the common challenges that hinder effective persuasion and learn six practical tools to overcome them. You'll discover how to be more persuasive in your writing, blogging, and beyond. Finally, we’ll explore the art of crafting proverbs. You’ll learn how to write memorable and impactful sayings of your own.

So, why listen to me about persuasion? Over the years, I’ve spoken around the world, including in Canada, Scotland, Hawaii, Russia, California, and nearly every time zone in the United States. I've also coached students in competitive public speaking and debate, helping them place second in national competitions.

But let me share a personal example of applying these principles. Years ago, I wrote a blog post titled Why Courtship is Fundamentally Flawed. In it, I critiqued the book I Kissed Dating Goodbye. The post went viral. It reached over a million readers, and ultimately led to a Kickstarter campaign for my book Courtship in Crisis: The Case for Traditional Dating (affiliate link). This book found its way to Joshua Harris, the author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye, who later changed his mind about the book he wrote. He even included my book in his list of “Books That Changed My Mind” and featured me in his documentary.

With effective persuasion, you can change minds and the world. If you're ready to learn this powerful skill, stay tuned. These are tools anyone can master, and I encourage you to use them for good.