673 Influence People's Minds with Mentalist Lior Suchard

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Lewis Howes interviews mentalist Lior Suchard about how he creates the illusion of mind reading through observation, psychology, storytelling, and influence. The conversation explores the difference between magicians and mentalists, how intuition and persuasion work, the role of wonder, and how to use these skills ethically in everyday life and business.

Main Topics: Mentalism as psychology and perception (Priority: 5/5): Lior explains that his work is not magic but a blend of observation, body language, psychology, and practiced pattern recognition that lets him anticipate choices and create the feeling of mind reading. Magician vs. mentalist (Priority: 5/5): He distinguishes magicians, who create clear illusions, from mentalists, who operate in a gray area of belief where audiences question whether what they saw was real. Storytelling and entertainment design (Priority: 4/5): Lior says storytelling is essential to mentalism, helping him build acts around emotion, suspense, and audience engagement rather than only technical feats. Influence, reciprocity, and communication (Priority: 4/5): The interview covers practical ways people can become more influential—through giving first, compliments, rapport, and understanding how people make choices. Wonder, childlike curiosity, and emotional impact (Priority: 4/5): Lior frames his mission as restoring a childlike sense of wonder and notes that emotional moments are what make performances memorable for audiences and clients. Ethics, intuition, and rejecting fake psychics (Priority: 4/5): He rejects fortune-tellers and psychic claims, emphasizing ethical influence, psychological karma, and using his abilities as entertainment rather than deception for profit. Personal life, family, and legacy (Priority: 3/5): The conversation ends with Lior reflecting on balancing travel with family, his fear of aging, and the legacy he hopes to leave through joy and positive impact.

Key Arguments: Lior’s abilities come from learned skill, not supernatural power; he uses body language, psychological principles, and repetition to predict choices. Mentalism differs from magic because it invites belief and ambiguity, whereas magic is understood as an illusion. Storytelling turns tricks into meaningful experiences and makes corporate messaging more memorable than lectures or slides. Influence begins with reciprocity: helping, complimenting, and giving first increases the chance others will respond positively. Wonder is emotionally powerful but individual—different people express amazement differently, so performers must read reactions beyond applause. He believes his work should stay ethical: no pretending to be a psychic, no exploiting belief, and no using influence to manipulate people harmfully. His bigger future goal is to move beyond entertainment into teaching people how to think, influence ethically, and apply intuition in daily life.

Data Points: Episode number: 673 - School of Greatness episode featuring Lior Suchard Countries performed in: More than 50 - Lior’s global live performance reach Mentalists he considers world-class: Less than 10 - His estimate of truly elite mentalists Children: 2 - Lior says he has two children Children’s ages: 4 and 2 - Ages of his two children Army service length: 3 years - He says Israeli military service ran from age 18 to 21 Age when he left school to perform: Around 21-22 - He describes leaving school after about one month and pursuing performance Shows in Miami: 2 - He mentions returning from two live shows in Miami Performance length mentioned: 2 hours - He references a two-hour live show Travel frequency: 100 times a year - He describes frequent travel for work Interviewed dream guest: Will Smith - Lewis searches for Will Smith as a wished-for guest

Pivotal Quotes: "I use three techniques: mind reading, mind influencing, and bullshit." — Lior Suchard: He jokes about how he explains his craft at the start of the interview "The definition, I don't have a definition because I think that greatness is every individual with himself." — Lior Suchard: His closing reflection on greatness "When you think outside the box, you just create another box. So I always say think between those boxes." — Lior Suchard: He explains his approach to creativity and imagination

Implications: Listeners are encouraged to see influence as a learnable, ethical skill rooted in observation, empathy, and giving first. The episode suggests wonder and persuasion can be applied in business, relationships, and self-development without manipulation.