This shifts the mindset of the person who’s listening and puts them in a different role. Rather than thinking about what’s wrong with that one thing, they’re thinking about which of those two things they like better. They might not love either of them but they’re focused on which one they like better because rather than thinking about all of the things that are wrong, they’re focused on the things that are right. It’s not about giving people 60 options, it’s about giving them just a few additional choices.

Consultants often do this when they present to clients. They say, “I’ll give them three options about their course of action. If I give them one, they say it’s too expensive or it won’t work. I give them two or three, they’ll think about which one they like best.”