Summary: Developing high goals for a negotiation will inevitably make you work harder to reach those goals.

Your level of aspiration will probably be the single most important determinant of what you get out of a negotiation. Before entering any negotiation, you need to identify your aspiration, your wish and your bottom line. Aim high!

Example
You go online to bid for a hotel room at a reputable hotel in New Orleans. You know that if you call the hotel and ask for its best price, you will be told it is $185. You will be comfortable (your aspiration) paying $145 per night. But you decide to raise your level of aspiration (your wish), and so you offer $95. The hotel e-mails to inform you that your offer has been accepted, and your reservation is guaranteed. Aiming high pays off!

Have you used or encountered this tactic in your negotiations? If so, how’d it go?