Faith and Influence: Break on Through to the Other Side

During part of my childhood, we lived in Southern California. My parents were still in their late 20s and early 30s, which meant weekends often involved the beach and, with it, the rising tide of hippie culture.

The soundtrack of that era? The Doors. Their classic, Break on Through to the Other Side, seemed to play constantly.

The lyrics still echo:

You know the day destroys the night
Night divides the day
Tried to run, tried to hide
Break on through to the other side…

That song reminds me of a time when I had to “break on through” in a work relationship that wasn’t starting well.

Breaking Through at Work

During my days at State Auto Insurance, I led sales training for our associates. The Chief Claims Officer recognized that settling claims was, in many ways, a persuasive conversation, so he asked me to share thoughts on influence with his team.

That’s where I first met Brandon, who led claims training. From our initial meeting, I sensed he viewed me as an intruder. After all, why would a sales guy be invited into claims training? The vibe I was getting wasn’t good.

Soon after, we were assigned to travel together, visiting claims offices across the country so I could present Cialdini’s principles of influence and help people make the connection to claims handling. Honestly, my first thought was, “Great. Six of the next eight weeks on the road with someone who doesn’t like me.”

But I chose to practice what I preach: finding common ground, offering genuine compliments, and looking for opportunities to connect.

By the end of that road trip, something remarkable had happened. Brandon and I bonded over learning, powerlifting, and distance running. What began as tension grew into a friendship. More than a decade later—long after we both left the company—we still meet for coffee every other month to talk about family, business, and training.

That experience reinforced a conviction: there’s good in everyone if we choose to see them through the lens of grace. And everyone has a story. When we slow down, connect on what we share, and extend goodwill, even strained relationships can transform.

Influence and Grace

This theme runs through my upcoming book, Influenced from Above: Where Faith and Influence Meet. The main character, John Andrews, faces opposition as he leads a community center building project for his church. The resistance comes from both inside and outside the congregation.

At first, John leans on influence principles such as liking and reciprocity—time-tested ways to gain cooperation and build relationships. But as he begins to recognize the spiritual truths beneath these principles, his mindset shifts.

Instead of simply seeking a “yes,” he acts with grace—giving good to others, even when they don’t deserve it. He learns that unity is rooted in love: doing what’s best for another, even at personal cost.

Jesus modeled this perfectly. He taught, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Then He lived it.

When we approach others with that spirit—looking for bonds of unity, practicing reciprocity without expectation, and extending grace—we don’t just influence behavior. We influence hearts and when hearts change, everything changes.

Breaking Through in Your Life

So let me ask you:

Have you ever given to someone who didn’t deserve your goodwill?
Can you recall a time when giving cost you dearly—but you gave anyway?

Those moments are influence at its highest level. They reflect not only Cialdini’s principles but also timeless spiritual truths that can have an eternal impact.

That’s what Influenced from Above is about: helping us see that influence is more than persuasion techniques—it’s part of how God designed us to relate, connect, and love.

Release Date – October 21

You don’t have to wait until October 21 to explore more. Click here for a preview of Influenced from Above: Where Faith and Influence Meet.

After you read the preview, I’d love to hear your stories. Your reflection might just be the spark of hope or faith someone else needs today.

Edited with ChatGPT

Brian Ahearn

Brian Ahearn is the Chief Influence Officer at Influence PEOPLE and a faculty member at the Cialdini Institute.

An author, TEDx speaker, international trainer, coach, and consultant, Brian helps clients apply influence in everyday situations to boost results.

As one of only a dozen Cialdini Method Certified Trainers in the world, Brian was personally trained and endorsed by Robert Cialdini, Ph.D., the most cited living social psychologist on the science of ethical influence.

Brian’s first book, Influence PEOPLE, was named one of the 100 Best Influence Books of All Time by Book Authority. His follow-up, Persuasive Selling for Relationship Driven Insurance Agents, was an Amazon new release bestseller. His latest book, The Influencer: Secrets to Success and Happiness, is a business parable designed to teach you how to use influence at home and the office.

Brian’s LinkedIn courses on persuasive selling and coaching have been viewed by more than 800,000 people around the world. His TEDx Talk on pre-suasion has more than a million views!