I find that, when working with non-math people, to approach the mathematics from a problem solving perspective. Why did anyone find it so important to develop this in the first place? Where can this be used today? Students tend to believe that mathematicians live some kind of arcane life behind academic walls. In fact, many of the topics covered in undergraduate math programs come from real world problems that someone had to solve. When students are posed with the original issue or a current day issue that uses the mathematics, their interest and willingness to work increase dramatically. The same thing goes for me in another discipline. For example, take history. Knowing what happened at the battle of Verdun in WWI is not all that exciting. However, if you look at the situation from both sides just prior to the battle, you start to see why it is important and why the leaders made the decisions that they did. Math educators need to focus on learning for the long term, not short term 'can you remember this'. Student should accept nothing less.