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Table of Contents
What is Cold Reading?
Cold reading is a phrase used to refer to a wide variety of psychological and conversational techniques traditionally practised by fortune tellers, magicians, mentalists, ‘psychics’ and spies. The goal of the technique is to make people believe you know more about them than you actually do. Cold reading techniques are useful for quickly building rapid rapport, trust and authority.
In this article we’ll briefly go over 5 of the most common, most powerful techniques for cold reading and you’ll be able to start practising these today.
5 Mind-Tricks to Make Anyone Think You Know & Understand Them
The Rainbow Ruse – Saying Opposite Things to Sound Incredibly Accurate
The Rainbow Ruse is a technique that makes a statement seem highly specific and insightful by covering both sides of a personality trait. This allows almost anyone to relate because it acknowledges contradictions within human nature. The statements are completely vacuous but that’s okay because most people don’t really think about the words they hear!
“You can be very confident in certain situations, but there are moments when you second-guess yourself, especially when something really matters to you.”
“You’re outgoing and sociable, but you also have times when you just need to be alone and recharge.”
“You often project strength and independence but there are times when things get to you and other people don’t realize.”
Why It Works
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We are paradoxical creatures and people see themselves as complex, so statements that recognize both sides of their personality feel especially insightful.
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We are self validating and automatically focus on what we believe is relevant to us and filter and/or forget the rest
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Because it captures a dynamic range of behaviors, it seems like you’ve noticed their unique contradictions. It feels and sounds personal.
How to Use the Rainbow Ruse in Conversations
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Blend Contrasting Traits – Always include both sides of a behavior (e.g., “You’re confident, but at times, you can be quite self-critical.”).
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Use a Thoughtful Tone – Pausing before delivering the second half makes it feel like a careful observation rather than a generic statement.
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Let Them Choose Which Part Fits – People will naturally focus on the side that resonates most and ignore the rest.
The Rainbow Ruse is one of the most effective ways to sound deeply insightful with minimal information. It acknowledges complexity, allowing anyone to relate while making it seem like you’ve uncovered something unique about them.
Shotgun Statements – Cast a Wide Net and Hit the Bullseye
Shotgun statements are broad, generalized observations designed to sound specific. You scatter a range of possibilities and let the subject latch onto what feels relevant.
Imagine you’re at a networking event and want to seem insightful:
“You’ve got a sharp mind and pick up on details that others miss, but sometimes, you hold back your thoughts because you don’t want to come across the wrong way.”
“Lately, you’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed, not necessarily all the time, but there are moments when everything just seems like too much to handle at once.”
“There’s someone in your life you care about deeply, but at times, they frustrate you because you feel like they don’t fully understand you.”
MASSIVE PRO INSIDER TIP – You can reframe almost any statement on this page as a question. Not only will this make you more confident about trying these techniques but it makes the much more effective at creating rapid trust and rapport.
Why It Works:
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The listener filters out the parts that don’t apply and focuses on what resonates.
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You sound incredibly perceptive without actually knowing anything specific.
PRO TIP: Follow up with, “Does that make sense?“ or
“I’m getting that strong impression, am I on track?” or
“What do you think?”
Barnum Statements – The Illusion of Personal Insight
A Barnum statement (name after P.T. Barnum) is a vague, general statement that feels highly personal and specific despite the reality that it could apply to almost anyone. They primarily take advantage of confirmation bias, where people focus on the parts of a message that fit their experience while unconsciously ignoring the rest.
Talking to a new acquaintance:
“You don’t open up to just anyone, but when you do finally open up and feel close to someone, you are an incredibly loyal friend. You often feel misunderstood, but deep down, you know what makes you different is also what makes you special.“
“Even though you project confidence sometimes you feel like you don’t fit in.”
The key is to phrase it as if you’ve discovered a hidden truth about them.
Why It Works:
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People WANT to feel understood.
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The statements are vague enough to apply to almost anyone, yet feels personal.
PRO TIP: Add a pause before delivering the insight. A little hesitation makes it seem like you’re carefully “reading” them and considering their particular situation rather than just reciting a script.
The Recap/The Reuse – Make Their Own Words Feel Mystical
Subtly repackage what someone has already told you, but frame it as an insightful observation. This technique is also referred to as The Trojan Nod.
If someone mentions their job is stressful, you later say:
“I get the sense that you’re someone who knows how to cope with pressure. Sure, things feel overwhelming at times but you manage to cope and keep going.“
Why It Works:
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It makes you seem deeply insightful while revealing nothing new.
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You can take their complaints an reframe them as compliments (who doesn’t love a compliment?)
PRO TIP: Use this in negotiations or sales—mirror their frustrations but spin them into strengths.
Negatively Loaded Positive Statements
This is a gentle, non-intrusive way to guide a conversations and get people to open up. Use slight assumptions, phrased in the negative, to invite deeper responses, you get people to reveal personal details without feeling interrogated. You are making a slightly negative or limiting assumption about your subject in a way that invites them to correct, clarify, or defend themselves without any resistance.
Instead of asking, “Are you an ambitious person?“
Try, “You’re not the kind of person who would let yourself settle, are you?“
Instead of asking, “Are you a risk taker?” or “Do you want to take a risk?”
Try, “You’re probably not the kind of person who takes big risks, right?”
Why It Works
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If you are perceived by the subject as correct people will agree with you and feel understood.
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If you are perceived by the subject as incorrect they naturally want to correct you and will open up
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We are engaging all sorts of different parts and processes in the brain by asking a question, by using a negative and by giving the subject a chance to confirm or correct an aspect of their self-identity
PRO TIP: Use this technique sparingly and in a positive manner. Too much negativity will backfire.
Final Thoughts: The Real Magic of Cold Reading
These techniques help build rapport, uncover information, and make people feel truly seen. Use them wisely, and you’ll find that you can connect with anyone on a deeper level. Just remember that with great power comes great responsibility.
Use this as you go and do good in the world.
Bonus Video You May Like
An interesting video & a warning to be careful when cold reading and the importance of being honest and an interesting ‘technique’ on how to listen to people.
