Think two steps ahead

What you can learn about manipulation from chess and drug dealers Grandmasters and drug traffickers both have one thing in common: they are always one step ahead of the competition.The ability to see things from another's perspective is known as theory of mind. It is necessary in all of our encounters. According to a new study from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, we use this to persuade others to a great extent. Manipulation of others makes use of a region of our brain that is frequently used in games like chess. Maybe if you're good at one, you'll be good at the other.Those that plan ahead are the best tacticians in the world. Grandmasters of chess, legendary generals, great world leaders, and mafia bosses all have one thing in common: they are always one step ahead of their opponents. Each of us has the potential to plan ahead. In fact, it's difficult to envision a human being who didn't plan ahead of time at least some of the time. You've undoubtedly thought about what you're going to do tonight, and you know how you're going to get home. One of the characteristics of intelligence is the ability to plan ahead. Without it, we're just like a plant or a kid, captives to our instincts and reflexes.A mental model The issue with the world is that it is brimming with other people. Those folks, unlike you (obviously! ), are frequently unpredictable, independent, and infuriatingly unreadable. We'll never be able to get into their heads to know what they're thinking or what they'll do. But, as a social creature, it's hardly surprising that we've developed methods for calculating what other people are thinking. This is referred to as "theory of mind," or the ability to put oneself in another's shoes. (People with autism may lack this capacity to varied degrees.) We learn about the theory of mind as we get older. Children will learn about the experiences of others.Most people have a very complex theory of mind. Here's an example: Suppose you and I are talking about something, and you see me looking up at the clock. What assumptions or thoughts are running through your head right now? Do you bore me? Do I need to be somewhere? Is there a spider around the clock? In fact, people who "think" things often get lost in this complex game of mental speculation theory. As with most things, a beneficial brain habit becomes toxic when it is exceeded.