How to be more interesting
It was supposed to be just another introductory meeting.
But when Mark told me his story, I found myself hanging on his every word and wanting to know more.
Mark was undeniably interesting.
But, why was he so interesting?
What was it that made him someone I gravitated towards and wanted to spend more time with?
These are the three things that stood out to me.
1. The importance of feeding your mind
Mark and his brother borrowed 25 books from the library every weekend when they were kids.
I suspect this helped Mark develop the mindset that led him to a lifetime of interesting experiences and gave him a broad perspective.
Seeing the world from only one point of view might feel more comfortable. But it can limit your possibilities and reduce your ability to think critically. And make you less interesting.
Feed your mind with things that are off-piste from what you usually read, watch or listen to. Explore different areas.
2. The value in sharing what you’ve learned
Mark shared the experiences that led him to his mission:
Helping those like himself from less privileged circumstances and giving them better life opportunities.
He expressed his journey and mission with such authenticity that I gained a new perspective and understood exactly who he was.
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You have valuable observations and experiences too. Don’t be afraid to share something as simple as, “Hey, I just learned this really cool thing that can help us do…”
Share generously so others can benefit from a glimpse into a different part of the world. The key is to do so with the right intention behind it.
3. The power of pursuing what moves you
Mark is pursuing the things that interest him, even when it takes him off the conventional path.
It was refreshing and inspiring to hear from someone doing something different than me and pursuing it boldly.
When you do what you uniquely do, you free up the real you. And you inspire the people around you to do the same.
I encourage you to do what it is you want to do. Even if it’s significantly different from your usual. Whether that’s checking off an item on your bucket list or taking up a new hobby.
I plan to go cross-country skiing with my daughter next winter – a big departure from my usual! (Btw, do you have recommendations for cross-country ski locations?)
We all can be even more interesting
Being interesting is not about putting on a performance. It’s not trying to sound smart. And it’s not about following trends.
It’s about tapping into what makes you you and following what moves you.
When you’re being your true self, focusing on growth and learning, that’s when you can interest and inspire others the most. And the types of people you want to be around will gravitate to you.
So, remember these three things if you want to be more interesting than you already are:
Which of these will you start doing or do more to become a more interesting person?
Founder Who Helps Assessors Discern Which Entrepreneurs Will Perform | Fractional Officer Who Grows Revenue $0 To $350M ARR & Transforms @13% CMGR | Management Professor | Advisory | Execution | Strategy
4moI think we all ARE interesting by virtue of what we've experienced, learned, and how we choose to apply it. It gets more fun when you pay it forward to educate and help others. To this end, I embarked on a crazy path this year of writing a book, some might call it an autobiography, on LinkedIn, via weekly and/or biweekly posts. It has not been without risk. But people tell me my authenticity resonates. I hope it's helpful. And yes, I love your comment, May Busch. May we all share our stories well in a way that is interesting, and I hope productive, to those who take the time to expose themselves to the content and absorb them. #storytelling #authenticity #prose #stories #business #life #lessons #learning