10 Covert Secrets To Martyrdom, Run A Cult And World Domination

What makes powerful people takes control and stay there?

Name a leader from history. Martin Luther King, Gandhi or JFK. What made them such influential figures?

They are (almost) universally perceived as the 'good guys' and now let's take a look at the 'bad guys'. Adolf Hitler, Stalin and Idi Amin.

Their character traits are completely diverse, but at some point all of them was able to inspire followers enough to die for their cause.

This post is intended to highlight some covert secrets which may help you to carve out your place in history or at least inspire better results from your own team. Remember with power comes responsibility.

I have published this document so that those whom you inspire can also police the process. And you.

Here are 10 Covert Secrets To Become A Martyr, Run A Cult And Obtain World Domination.

1) Confront The Enemy
What is the most pressing fear or pain point of your group? Unemployment? Poverty? Insignificance? Lack of a political voice? Needing a hug? Whatever it is, like a good sales campaign, that's the red button to press to get the most emotional reaction and 'buy-in' from your team. Fighting this enemy should be a 24 hour a day and 8 days per week job.

2) Create An Inner Circle
There has to be a very small group around you of people you trust who are completely devoted to your cause, paid or otherwise. They will need your attention and that's where most of your initial effort will be spent. Once they are convinced/paid they will need less micro management and will provide a protection between the majority of your followers and you.
3) Be An Enigma - Distant and Charismatic
The more that people get access to you, the more familiar you will become and therefore the more human you will be. Martyrs are perceived as gifted with a divine power. Very rarely by those who know them well. To them they were focused and driven.

4) Never Quantify Your Money
Any operation has to make profit and religious groups, charity organisations and community centres are no exception. Most leaders give the illusion of an independent source of income but are most likely to be using the group as a revenue generator after initial sponsorship funds have been utilised. Keep the actual figures very very private.

5) Reward Later
When the enemy is huge, invisible and unbeatable (poverty, the Devil, social injustice), the end doesn't have to be in sight (and in many cases shouldn't be). Similarly a utopian existence, afterlife or place in a new order will be enough to make most followers agree to chase the dream.

6) Celebrate Little Victories
Because the cause is so immense, you need social proof that it can work. Get some. Make testimonials from eye witnesses. Publicise the hell out of it.

7) Talk Apples and Pears
Use logic that doesn't work. For example 'because the branch fell off the tree, it proves that all the bad omens that people were worried about must be starting to come true'. The truth is the branch was rotten, but when you create a cult, no-one will dare question your logic, emotions are in play.

8) Kick out the heretics
Anybody who questions your motives, wisdom, integrity or sanity is actually disrespecting the movement and everyone in it. They aren't really, they are just qualifying why they should become more devoted to the cause but make a public show of anyone who questions your authority so that others understand that dissent will not be tolerated.

9) Make A Rule Book
Make it very emotional, incredibly personal and full of symbolism that can be interpreted by others in your stead. That way people will not need so much from you on personal appearance, just evidence that things are still good and moving forward.

10) Make It All About You
No-one else gets to carry the baton, no-one is the source of wisdom like you and no-one gets to say what happens but you. Period. That way people are fanatical about your well being and you become in-expendable.

At The Life Designers, we are creating a tribe. NOT a cult. We are transparent, we are all thought leaders and all heretics get heard. If they don't buy into the vision, they are welcome to leave and start their own tribe. It's true to say that the reward may come later, but the evidence of change will affect all around us. We are dedicated to asking better questions and helping people to find their own answers.

My role is to grow the tribe and start the conversations, as is yours.

I look forward to helping you to make that change.