The first step in changing careers—or changing the direction of your career—is to convince yourself it’s possible. The next step is to convince someone else that it’s possible. That someone else could be your boss, an HR department, or maybe an interviewer. Most people tackle this challenge by using facts to back up their decision. But that’s the wrong way to go. Emotions, not facts, are the best way to get people to believe in your choice, and, ultimately, in you. Facts open

I was recently hired to pitch the services of one of my clients to about 20 prospects. The pitching was done through a presentation that I wrote, given in a conference room. The prospects were often two or more senior people from big, international companies. I was a high-pressure kind of thing. I prepared for this as I normally do, writing, rewriting and generally polishing my presentation deck until I felt it was really strong and conveyed the message I wanted to give. I we