Let’s face it: we all want to be more interesting to others. Am I right? Unfortunately, many people equate being ‘interesting’ with being smarter or funnier than everyone else and their efforts to be known as interesting actually backfires. The real way to be more interesting to others actually has very little to do with you and everything to do with the person you’re trying to become more interesting to. Whether you want to improve your image with your friends and family or you want to become more interesting to those you do business with, here are four ways you can up your interesting factor in the right way.

Be Interesting by Being Interested

As Dale Carnegie so famously put it in his classic book How to Win Friends and Influence People, everyone’s favorite topic is themselves. If you think being interesting is all about showing what you know and pointing out how smart you are, you’ll inevitably become known as a boring know-it-all or a blowhard. When you ask thoughtful questions and actually listen to the answers, you’re way ahead of most people and will make a great impression on anyone you’re talking to. Whether you’re trying to learn more about a client’s business needs or you’re sitting down to dinner with your significant other who had a bad day, you can instantly become more interesting by simply being interested.

Learn How to Best Connect with Those Important to You

One of the healthy habits of wealthy individuals is connection to others.  While it may not be possible to learn enough about strangers or those you work with sporadically to know how they best connect, you can absolutely do it with those closest to you. Some of your clients may connect best by sticking to facts while others want to get into nitty gritty emotional territory. At home, one of your children might connect best with hugs or pats on the back while the other would rather connect through a shared experience like a ball game. Finding out how to best connect with those close to you not only makes you more interesting, but it also deepens those valuable relationships.

Study a Broad Range of Topics

The more you know about a broad range of topics, the better you can connect with others. People love talking about their hobbies and interests, so if you can learn a little about subjects like gourmet cooking, movies, books, travel, and sports, it’s likely you’ll at least know enough to converse with those you meet through networking or in casual settings like parties or your kids’ events. Don’t stick to the topics that you personally enjoy—broaden your horizons and study up. It’s a perfect way to show others you care—and of course they’ll come away from one of these conversations thinking about the highly interesting person they just met!

Show Some Vulnerability

Many people shy away from showing vulnerability because they view it as a sign of weakness. As you explore your personality, though, you’ll realize the blocks you have preventing you from showing vulnerability and you should be able to start overcoming them. When you show your friends, family members, and co-workers that you make mistakes and have challenges just like they do, they’ll be more likely to open up to you. This is a good step in the direction of developing meaningful relationships that lead to interesting conversations and stronger connection.

If you work with a good advice-based financial planner, he or she should challenge you to look at not only your finances, but also your overall happiness and well-being. If you’d like to chat more about working with a fiduciary who can help mentor you in many areas, please reach out so we can talk more!

 

Patrick Tucker, the owner of True Measure Wealth Management, has over 20 years experience in the industry and has spent the last 15 years learning the ins and outs of the fee-only advisory business. He focuses on client behaviors and what ‘wealth’ means for each individual client to provide care-giving plans that lead to a mindful fulfillment of financial goals. A lifelong learner, Patrick uses his continued knowledge to become a valued partner for his clients and help them explore the wisdom of true wealth.