Make People Think You Can Read Minds

Having the ability to read someone's mind can astound and confuse people. If you do it right, the simplest tricks can fool your friends into thinking you have some sort of magical power. Maybe you could even take your show on the road? Just be sure to use this new power of yours for good and not evil!

Steps

Reading People Effectively

  1. Pick the right person to read. You know how magicians, comedians, and performers in general sometimes bring up a person or two from the audience to interact with? This person isn't chosen at random – the entertainer is doing a scan of the audience from minute one for just the right individual. Some people are too closed off and not receptive while others are too all over the place and flighty. To use the following techniques, you need an individual who's balanced but engaged, and seems adequately expressive.
    • Of your group of friends, someone who is comfortable with you is best. You also need someone that reacts to ideas and events openly and that is fairly easy to read in general. Someone who is quiet, subdued, and hard to interact with won't do you any favors.
  2. Know how most people answer questions. People, whether we like it or not, all run or sort of the same program. When prompted, we often come up with the same responses. Having the knowledge of what most people would say in a situation can make it seem like you're telepathic to those who don't know. Here are a few basics:[1]
    • If asked to choose a number between 1 and 10, most people will go for 7
    • If asked to think of a color quickly (in 3 seconds or less), most people choose red
    • If given more time (4 seconds or so), they will say blue
  3. Mirror them. To get people to open up to you and be honest, it's a good idea to mirror them. That is, take on their body positioning and aspects of their personality. If their hands are in their pockets and they're a little timid, put your hand in your pocket and be a little timid. If they're loud and all over the place, be loud and over the place. This puts the two of you on the same wavelength.
    • If the person you're working with is someone you know, this is less of an issue. However, some people, when you tell them you're going to "read their mind" clam up. This loosens them and gives them a sense of security, making the job easier for you.
  4. Learn to detect lies. An easy way to turn lying into mind-reading is to ask a person a series of questions in which you know only one is a lie. Let's say you're asking your friend what number they're thinking of, but you instruct to always tell you "no." If you can detect their lie, you can amaze them with your mind-reading powers.
    • Let's say your friend is giving you a chorus of no's in answering your question about the number they're thinking of. All the responses seem the same except on 6 – that "no" seemed tenser, his eyes flitted about, he seemed a little too adamant, and he fidgeted a little. Odds are 6 was his number.
  5. Look for muscle responses. Just like the body can give away a lie, the body can give away a thought, too. Place your hand lightly on their back or shoulder (tell them it helps the connection, if you must) and begin your trick. When the thought you're trying to get at comes up, you'll likely feel their body tense up slightly or adjust.
    • Let's say you told your friend to think of a letter in the alphabet. You're going to sing the alphabet song to help channel his thinking. When you get to his letter, you'll notice that change in his body. Afterward, tell him his letter, watching him be flabbergasted – his mind didn't register that automatic reaction in his body.

Mastering "Telepathic" Tricks

  1. Plant the answer in their minds. Many people that mind-reading is all about priming. In order to get them to say the answer you want them to say, you plant the ideas in their mind, saying it beforehand. Here's an example:
    • You want your friend to say "red" when you ask him what his favorite color is. Before you ask that question, you say four other things: "Hey,what's up? How is your family? Oh really? I just saw my new favourite movie. I like that colour on you. I might be getting a new *red* car."
  2. Learn tricks like "The Grey Elephant from Denmark." There are a few tricks out their that if your friends don't know, you can wow them with your magical, mind-reading prowess. Try the Grey Elephant from Denmark trick. Tell your friend to do the following:
    • Pick a number between 1 and 10.
    • Multiply that number by 9.
    • Add the 2 digits together. (If it's a single digit, don't worry about it.)
    • Subtract 5 from that number.
    • Give that number a corresponding letter: A=1, B=2 and so on.
    • Tell them to think of a country that begins with that letter.
    • Take the second letter of the country and think of an animal that begins with that letter.
    • Finally, tell them to think of the color of that animal. Ask them if they're thinking of a Grey Elephant from Denmark!
    • Most, but not all, people will be. It's just math. You will end up with 4, which gives you "D." From there, you have very few options, and most people will go with "elephant."
  3. Do magic tricks. A convincing magic trick can make your friends think you have some sort of supernatural power. It can be with cards, small objects, or nothing at all. Learn a few to wow your friends with and maybe they'll think you can read minds!
    • There are magic tricks about reading people's minds, too. Just read the Read Minds (As a Magic Trick)
  4. Read How to Read Someone's Mind With Math (Math Trick). If you've got a flair for math, mind-reading math tricks may be right up your alley. You don't even need a piece of paper or a calculator. All you need to do is memorize a couple of equations!
    • This article alone has three different methods you can try out. If you're not a fan of one, you have two more to give a whirl. That being said, some are more difficult than others. Do whichever level speaks to you.
  5. Read How to Appear to Read Someone's Mind with Numbers. This is very similar to the above article and offers another equation to try out on your friends. Between all these puzzles, there's bound to be one you can give a shot!
    • Try to modify them yourself, too. Add colors or animals that correlate to numbers (like in the Grey Elephant trick) to make it your own. That makes the trick a little more deceptive, too.

Warnings

  • People with a stronger mind or who have ADD to a degree will be almost impossible to do this to.

Sources and Citations

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