In our modern world, we are bound by time. This being the case, we have certain expectations about how long it will take us to accomplish our various tasks. Time often becomes distorted through our perceptions and expectations.

Why do some afternoons speed by faster than others? Why do we finish projects just one minute before the deadline?

Parkinson's Law states that work expands to fill the time available. So, if a project is given a three-month deadline, it will take the full three months to complete. If that very same project is given a six-month timeframe, it will still take the full six months to complete, even though it could easily be completed in three. It may sound strange, but this law holds weight because the time allotted for completion of a project sets our expectations. It is actually our expectations that influence how we will work on a project and, therefore, when it will be completed. Your time expectations going into a negotiation will determine how you negotiate. A word of advice: Don't show your cards. Never let the other party know how fast you need to seal the deal. The first person to speak numbers will lose. Allow your prospect to give their parameters for completing a task and if the proposal isn't satisfactory, re-negotiate.

Kurt Mortensen

Kurt W. Mortensen is one of America's leading authorities on persuasion, motivation and influence. Kurt spent 15 years researching personal development and motivational psychology and is currently a professor on the university level. He offers his speaking, training, and consulting programs nationwide, helping thousands achieve unprecedented success in business and personal endeavors. Kurt is author of Maximum Influence, an Amazon.com bestseller and is endorsed by Stephen R. Covey, Brian Tracy, Robert Allen, and Mark Victor Hansen.

?This is truly remarkable information,? said Dr. Stephen R. Covey, Author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. ?It is based on solid scientific research and extensive field experience. It contains unbelievably comprehensive and fresh new angles and insights to persuasion, using immensely practical examples.?

"This is a great,? said Brian Tracy, Author of Advanced Selling Techniques. ?Magnetic Persuasion shows you how to immediately influence and persuade other people in every area of your life."

Mortensen received a bachelor?s degree in Communications/Advertising from Brigham Young University in 1992 and an MBA in Marketing and Consumer Behavior from the University of Pittsburg in 1993. He presented on the speaking circuit with Brian Tracy, Dennis Waitley, and Les Brown.

He teaches that success in every aspect of life depends on the ability to persuade, motivate, and influence others. He combines scientific research with real-world studies to provide the most authoritative and effective arsenal of proven techniques for persuading, influencing, and motivating others.

?Kurt has provided the most complete work on persuasion and influence I have ever read,? said Robert G. Allen, Author of Nothing Down, Multiple Streams of Income, and The One Minute Millionaire. ?Nowhere in persuasion literature have I ever seen the art and science broken down into such thorough and easy-to-understand concepts, covering every aspect of persuasion imaginable.?