Be Interesting by Becoming Interested

Dale Carnegie once said, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

In my latest newsletter, I talked about how to become a more interesting person [hyperlink], and many of the ideas and tips focused on personal fulfillment – like broadening your horizons, living on purpose, and finding your passion.

While an important part of becoming more interesting involves creating a vision for a life that is more interesting to you, it is important to remember to celebrate the interesting lives and qualities of others, as well.

To be interesting, you must be interested. And to be truly interested in others, you must care about them, recognize their talents, and be open to learning from them. If you’re like me, most of us love to talk about ourselves — it makes us feel important. If you regularly ask others to share their story with you and then actively listen, you may find that people are drawn to you and find you more interesting because when they are with you they feel “heard” and special.

Being interesting is closely linked with becoming a lifelong learner; people who are regularly and continually learning and growing lead more fascinating lives. Seeking out people whose experiences are different than yours, and whose expertise you value, can be a great source for personal development. There’s nothing like the give-and-take of stimulating discussions to bring us to a higher level of enlightenment.

Demonstrating an interest in those around you makes you a better conversationalist, a better contributor, and a better person. And when you show interest in others, they will be more likely to respond positively to you.

And being interested in others has a double benefit. Not only will you become more accessible and well-liked by your friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances – but you will also increase your own “interestingness,” as you expand your horizons by widening your circle of relationships and learning more about the people and the world around you.