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Recruiting goals, particularly health professions goals, are like the steep slope. The loose rocks are rejection, indifference and even the intimidation of convincing a physician that the Air Force has more to offer than a six-figure salary.

Recruiters who keep looking for the right applicants in spite of the slippery stones of rejections have something special. It’s self-motivation, and it will take them to the top.

Headquarters Recruiting Service has an expert in developing motivation, SMSgt Robert “Bobby” LaBrie. Sergeant LaBrie has been a recruiter for 14 years and has been giving motivational training and talks to recruiters, private businesses, and community organizations for four years.

Sergeant LaBrie says Motivation cannot be imposed from without; it has to come from within.

“Motivation is like a boiling pot of water,” he said. “ The effect of listening to a motivational speaker is like putting a pot of hot water in a desert. As long as the sun is out the water will be warm, but it will never boil. When the sun sets the water cools, just as the effect of the motivational speaker wears off quickly.”

“ The only way to get that pot of water to boil is to put logs under it and set them on fire,” he continued. “The logs are techniques to get yourself and others boiling with motivation.”

He says start motivating yourself with positive “I can” messages. Studies by leading Harvard University behavioral scientists revealed that 77% of what we think is negative, counterproductive and works against us. Counteract the negative messages by talking to yourself as if you are a winner. He recommends the book What Do You Say When You Talk To Yourself by Shad Helmstettar.

It is important to talk of your goals as if you have already reached them. Your subconscious believes what you tell it. If you program your subconscious correctly, you’ll find yourself behaving in a way that makes the goals a reality. Read books or listen to tapes by Zig Ziglar, Denis Waitley and Wayne Dyer. They are available in many libraries.

Sergeant LaBrie points out that negative thinking is very powerful and contagious. Like the bad apple, it can spoil the whole barrel. It’s important to stop negative thinking in its tracks.

If you keep a positive attitude, you’ll have an influence on the people you meet. Sergeant LaBrie suggests several tools and techniques that can improve your ability to stimulate motivation in others.

To communicate with people, you have go to speak their language. Sergeant LaBrie says it is important to determine how people learn when you teach. He says there is a concept called Neuro-Linguistic Programming that divides people into three groups – visuals, auditories and kinesthetics.

Visuals have staccato speech, rapid gestures and use visual language such as “I see what you mean.” The actor Robin Williams is an example of a visual.

Auditories speak slower, are very articulate, have fluid movements and talk to themselves. They repeat words and enjoy quiet. They say things like “I hear what you are saying.” Ronald Reagon is an auditory.

Kinesthetics speak very slowly, have deliberate movements and get their feelings hurt easily. They say things like, “ I feel I understand this,” or “ I really hate doing…” Leo Buscaglia, motivational speaker and author, is a kinesthetic.

A visual isn’t going to communicate effectively with an auditory or kinesthetic unless he uses their language and gestures.

Sergeant LaBrie recommends reading Instant Rapport by Michael Brooks and Unlimited Power by Anthony Robbins for more information on this concept.

Another technique Sergeant LaBrie discusses is mirroring.

“Watch what happens if someone hurts their hand,” he said. “Your grab your own hand as your go over to see how they’re doing.”

People mirror the actions of other people, particularly if they are in rapport.

“The technique is to get other people to mirror you, not you mirroring them.” He said.

If you’re talking to a doctor who is unenthusiastic and slouching in the chair, don’t slouch. Sit in an alert position and talk with enthusiasm. Don’t mirror his moods or actions. Make him mirror yours.

“This works if you are a leader,” Sergeant LaBrie went on. “If you’re a flight supervisor, act as if you’ve made goal. You’ll radiate positive enthusiasm to the other recruiters.”

Sergeant LaBrie recommends reading positive motivational books and listening to tapes. After reading over 300 books and listening to some 800 tapes, he says the main concepts are, “Think as if, act as if, be as if.”

If you think you can and you act as if you are already meeting your goals, you will be on top of the slippery slope.