How to become an interesting person
Humans are social creatures who communicate with each other all the time, building friendships and long lasting relationships. Making new acquaintances should be easy, as it is a part of our true nature. But for some people, it’s a scary prospect. To become a successful networker you need to first become an interesting person. This will automatically draw people to you.
What Does it Mean to be an Interesting Person?
If you ask an ordinary person what makes someone interesting, they might say that these types of people have a strong will, endurance, self-confidence, uniqueness, and are able to defend their opinion.
Step 1: Find interest in yourself
Liking yourself is not about your looks or outward beauty, it is about your inner being and self-awareness. Be open to new things. It doesn’t matter what it is: a new hobby, a new work path, a new acquaintance. Do not block yourself off from anything. Be okay with being different. Unusual does not mean bad. Do not fit your opinions under the umbrella of someone else’s. Ask yourself often: “What do I think about this?”, “How do I feel about this?” These questions will help you to form your own views. Read, study, write, compose, train, and you will become more self-confident and interesting.
Step 2: Think well
What do you normally think about? What emotions do you feel? How do you perceive the world? What do you believe in? Asking yourself these questions will give you insight into yourself. What you fill yourself with: the people you communicate with and the topics you discuss, will shape your personality. To be interesting, you need to meet interesting people, read literature or study topics that give you knowledge, and cleanse your life from destructive thoughts and habits.
How to Develop your Personality
Work to integrate the following aspects into your life.
Expand your knowledge:
During childhood we are interested in everything: why the sky is blue, how birds fly, why you need to wear gloves in winter. As we grow up, this curiosity fades away. Try to develop the habit of being interested in things, because sometimes we cannot answer the simplest of questions. Seek information and develop critical thinking. This will broaden your horizons and give you topics to discuss with new friends. Meeting new acquaintances will be natural and feel less intimidating.
Take the initiative:
Few people like to be responsible for things. More often than not, people prefer the job to be done by another. Taking initiative is what sets us apart from the crowd. By being proactive, you will show that you are a responsible person. This will also make you feel stronger and more confident in yourself.
Search for new information:
When you try to find the answer to a question, use new, non-standard ways of obtaining information. In addition to Google, there are also libraries, courses, and community groups. Make contact with someone who understands the area you are interested in. You will not only get the relevant information, but also make good acquaintances. But remember the principle: “Garbage In, Garbage Out”. The quality of the content you put in your mind will determine the quality of what you communicate outwardly. Therefore, be aware of what information you take in. For example, the authors you read and take inspiration from.
Act: How to Start Doing Something New
When people take the path of self-development, they often want to do everything at once. But a radical change in your lifestyle and thinking is impossible to achieve overnight. Change starts with small steps.
Get to Know Yourself:
You cannot love a person you don’t know. If you don't know what you like and dislike, what you love and don’t love, and what things attract and repel you, then how can you love yourself? For a complete understanding of what kind of a person you are, study your reactions to events and things. Seek and introduce into your life the things you like, and without regret release things that bring you down and cause you to feel negativity.
Push Your Boundaries (or make them wider):
Be open to trying something new. Do you have coffee at home every morning? Go out to the coffee shop around the corner. Planning on going to the same resort for vacation? Find a new destination. Do you take the route to work everyday? Take a different way next time. Even if something doesn’t work out, the new experience is worth it. And that is what counts.
Face Difficult Things:
The well-known Canadian entrepreneur Brian Tracy wrote in his book “Get Out of the Comfort Zone” that it is necessary to tackle the most difficult tasks on your to-do list first. By completing a task that seems overwhelmingly difficult, you are freed from its burden and gain a large amount of energy back to complete smaller tasks. Do not be afraid of difficulties - they build your character and inspire new growth.
Do Not Pay Attention to Others:
In order to develop a strong personality, sometimes you need to forget about what everyone else thinks. Sometimes in listening to the opinions of others too often, we stop hearing our own voice. You have the right to think, feel, and act as you see fit. Your opinion is valid.
Accept Constructive Criticism:
Sometimes, hearing the opinions of others can lead to positive change and growth. This is why businesses often request feedback from their customers. The same approach can be used with people. Ask someone for their opinion of you, and listen with an open mind. Do your best to not be defensive so that you fully hear their words.
Constructive criticism from another person can help you look at yourself from a different perspective. This is a positive experience that can be an impetus for personal growth. You can learn from everyone!
Don’t Waste your Time and Energy on Grudges:
In Chinese, there is a proverb that literally translates as follows: “Walking among three people, I find my teacher among them.” This means that any person you encounter in life can give you knowledge and help you develop yourself. Think of the people in your environment as teachers. Learn from them and adopt their good qualities. Even if your interaction with someone is negative, you can still learn a lesson and take something from it. If you spend energy on negative responses or relationships, then you will use up your precious internal resources that could be used for new achievements.
Avoid Idolizing Others:
Sincere admiration for another person is wonderful. But it can be destructive when you start to idealize and idolize someone. Do not forget that everyone has flaws. Be careful with thoughts like: "I wish I had a life like ..." You do not know what this person went through, what difficulties they’ve had, and whether you would want the same difficulties in your life.
Chat with Other People:
This is one of the key points in human development. Look for quality acquaintances and build relationships with those people who can teach you something. But networking rules work in both directions: both people should be equally useful and interesting to each other, otherwise these relationships can become mentor-like or exploitative.
Always continue to learn and develop yourself. Constant self improvement is the cornerstone of every interesting person.