Pratfall Effect: Beat Social Anxiety by Embracing Flaws
A ton of social anxiety is self-imposed.
It’s caused by setting unrealistic expectations.
One of the culprits of unrealistic expectations is perfection.
The killer of charisma.
In a logical world, perfection makes sense.
In the world of people, imperfection makes sense.
With the right knowledge, you can beat social anxiety.
A part of you will think, ‘I really used to think like that, huh?’
But to apply the knowledge, you need to connect it to your life.
If you cannot personalize the knowledge, then it stops at the head.
If you can personalize the knowledge, then it goes past the head and into your heart.
In this article, you are going to learn about a concept known as the Pratfall Effect.
You will learn why this psychological concept is important & how it will make you a confident communicator.
What is the Pratfall Effect?
The Pratfall Effect is when people like people who act like people.
‘English please??’
People like relatable humans.
The opposite of relatable is perfection.
That’s unrealistic and makes the subconscious mind feel uneasy.
‘Why do you think perfection makes the subconscious mind feel uneasy?’
Because it signals incomplete knowledge.
If you are someone with street smarts or real-world experience, then you KNOW that there is no such thing as perfection.
Everyone has some holes in their game.
When a person is presenting themselves to be TOO perfect, immediately, the subconscious mind is like:
‘What’s the catch?’
This narrative may be minuscule in the beginning stages.
Over time, it starts to pile up.
Perfection is not boosting your charisma when dealing with others.
Plus, chasing perfection is causing anxiety when dealing with yourself.
Then why are you chasing it?
‘Uh…
Time to let go bud.
Becoming Relatable
A couple of years ago, YouTube ads were becoming popular.
Entrepreneurs were seizing the opportunity.
Tons of entrepreneurs decided to go the flashy route.
Lamborghinis, mansions, yacht parties, etc.
They sold the:
‘If you want this flashy lifestyle like me, then you need to attend this webinar’ narrative.
It worked.
Tons of people signed up.
A lot of the webinars followed the formula of:
- Where the flashy entrepreneur started.
- Where the flashy entrepreneur was now (at the time of success).
Number 1 was strategically placed there to show that the entrepreneur was not perfect.
Instead, they were flawed creatures.
The flaw showed relatability.
The relatability part is something the entrepreneur did correctly.
‘I feel like you are going to say a but.’
I am.
BUT, these flashy entrepreneurs attracted a bunch of hate as well.
People who saw their initial commercial of the Lamborghini, mansion, and yachts started to make fun of them.
The flashy entrepreneurs were labeled “fake gurus” & were accused of selling a dream.
I believe this moment showed a ton into human nature.
Here’s what I learned…
Prioritize Substance Over Flash
I’m not a big fan of hating on others to build a brand.
These critics who were making fun of these flashy entrepreneurs built their brand quickly. There will always be a market for content that tears down others.
I also do not think most of these flashy entrepreneurs were intentionally trying to cause harm.
I believe they thought the flashiness would bring more awareness to the knowledge they were looking to spread.
Although these entrepreneurs showed their flaws in the webinar…
Them portraying such a perfect lifestyle in the initial ad made others feel threatened.
It immediately created the:
‘What’s the catch?’ mentality.
In the information age, humans do not crave more information. They crave wisdom from a relatable source.
That era of flashy entrepreneur ads on YouTube needed to happen so we could learn what NOT to do.
‘Are you saying that I should intentionally be imperfect?’
No.
If you intentionally try to be imperfect, then you will act like a buffoon.
Instead, embrace imperfections when you come across it.
How to Apply The Pratfall Effect to Your life
‘What does all this mean for me, Armani?’
It means a ton.
A lot of fears in communication happen because we set the wrong narrative.
-If I say a filler word in my speech, others will hate the talk.
-If I fumble a word in my interview, then it shows that I’m not a subject matter expert.
-And if I accidentally misspell a word, then my whole blog was a flop.
These poor narratives cause you to create like a wimp.
Sure, you are out there in the battlefield.
But you’re holding your sword and shield like a sissy.
When you understand the Pratfall Effect & reach the conclusion:
‘Perfection is not doable. How about I start & perfect over time?’
That’s when you think differently.
(Check out the Level Up Mentality to think like a Winner)
Then you reach another conclusion:
‘By starting imperfect, others know that I’m not one of these random faceless corporations who can do no wrong. Instead, I’m a person with flaws & wins. Just like the consumer.’
Then you reach one more conclusion!
‘When I stop vilifying losses & setbacks, I start to enjoy the process. My communication & delivery has more enthusiasm.’
All these realizations need to be reached by you.
Otherwise, the knowledge just stops at the head.
Just remember that perfection is the enemy.
It has the power to make the bravest of soldiers fall.
Build Social Skills the Unorthodox Way
This blog resonates with people who want practicality.
Not a bunch of flash.
Practicality in the real world isn’t always pretty.
But it’s always needed.
To make information practical, find ways to personalize it.
Ask:
How does all this relate to me?
I gave the example with the flashy entrepreneurs on the YouTube ads because that’s when I made the realization that perfection had a cost.
There’s a time and place to be professional & promote.
However, no need to overdo it and be excessive.
Understand that flaws have a return on investment as well!
Social skills done the right way embraces both sides of the coin.
The wins.
The losses.
And everything in between.
If you’re looking for a comprehensive guide to build your Social Skills, be sure to check out The Charisma King.
In this book, you will learn how to:
-Manage social anxiety and be more attractive.
-Create compelling conversation topics to build rapport.
-Grow a powerful social circle of friends & acquaintances.
Get Here:
– ArmaniTalks 
