How someone is responding to you may have nothing to do with you.
Laughter is a release of tension. When influencing, make the other person laugh; you'll gain rapport instantly.
Determine where you are going and how you will get there will become obvious.
When you break an agreement in a relationship, you must offer an amendment first, or it is meaningless.
Either you will do now what it takes or ten years from now you wish that you had.
Relationships are like a book, in that they are for learning.