How many new people have you met in the past 30 days? How many people have you known for over a year and you have just discovered something new about them?
The older I get, and hopefully the wiser I become, I have learned to appreciate that when I take the time to seek, learn and connect with others, my world gets bigger. I have learned to appreciate the differences in others and make a great effort to reach out to them to make a connection. The connection may be brief, but it is a connection nevertheless.
The key is that you don’t even have to put yourself out there. Simply smile, ask open-ended questions and LISTEN. (The last part is really important)
I find that that more I seek out to actually do this, I learn something new and interesting, and I make a connection with the other person. This can happen anywhere and you don’t have to always intentionally SEEK it out, but rather, just let it happen. It can be at work, a restaurant, lobby, elevator, backyard music concert, dinner party, or on the golf course.
Connecting Is All About Others
I love this simple, but power statement from one of my favourite authors, John. C. Maxwell.
“When you are trying to connect with people, it’s not about you — it’s about them. If you want to connect with others, you have to get over yourself. You have to change the focus from inward to outward, off of yourself and onto others. And the great thing is that you can do it. Anyone can. All it takes is the will to change your focus, the determination to follow through and the acquisition of a handful of skills!” -John C. Maxwell
This week, challenge yourself to seek, learn and connect with someone.
