How to Be a Better Liar
To get good at bending the truth, you have to first know why most people are terrible at it
In theory, lying isn’t good — it can breed distrust, harm your family, and infuse your life with chaos. But in practice, there are times when it would be convenient to be good at lying. Like when your boss wants you to give up a whole weekend for a conference, but you really need a break. Or when that not-really-a-friend asks you to be in their bridal party.
When you find yourself in one of these situations, backed into a corner with only a good lie to get you out, you want to make sure it’s a good one. And there are, in fact, some strategies you can use to make your lies more believable.
One recent study attempted to decode deception by surveying people on their self-reported ability to lie. The study authors found that those who consider themselves good liars used a mix of four verbal tactics: “keeping the statement clear and simple,” “telling a plausible story,” “using avoidance/being vague about details,” and “embedding the lie into an otherwise truthful story.” Essentially, the best liars tell clear, realistic lies without a lot of detail, and they try to work the untruth into a story that is already true.
