In a post from the archive, Dave Mashburn explains how the brain processes change.If you’ve ever tried to teach a child to swim, you know how important it is to let that first step be their idea.If you force the issue, children often resist getting into the water for months to come. Establishing the perfect conditions to get the child to take that first step is the primary problem to solve. The recruiting prospects you’re attempting to engage will initially display the same type of resistance.Rather than forcing the issue, you must make your initial objective self-activation.If the prospect doesn’t self-activate, you’ll be stuck in the very weak position of wanting something more than they do. That never works.How do you get someone to want to take that first step towards you?According to Dave, you must identify the unique pain the prospect is experiencing and get them to believe you may have a potential solution.The initial steps must be easy, involve small commitments, and demonstrate there’s path towards the pain relief they’re seeking.This type of recruiting takes a high level of emotional intelligence, the ability to listen effectively, and a lot of patience.It isn’t for everyone, but it’s remarkably effective.