Like many people I have deep friendships that emerged from shared interests and places: close friends from college, dear colleagues, and friends from the neighborhood.
But some of the most meaningful relationships in my life were born because I decided to say “hello”.
- There’s the acquaintance I met through soccer to whom I said (as he puts it) “hey do you want to be friends?” We’ve been close for over ten years and still visit each other when we’re in town.
- There’s the woman I met in Times Square while we were both watching an impromptu piano performance. Nearly ten years later we talk regularly and I’m amazed by her courage and spunk.
- And there’s my incredible wife who I met over the brunch table at a friend’s engagement party, and who thankfully noticed me for all the questions I was asking.
All these events happened years ago, and yet my life would have gaping holes without these relationships.
Was I nervous in the moment? Absolutely.
But I was lots of other things too. Curious. Hopeful. Earnest. And fortunately I leaned on those attributes to overcome my fear.
There have been countless times where I started a conversation and it went nowhere. I’ve received strange looks. I’ve had people say (literally) “not interested, buddy”. But all those are overshadowed 100-fold by the conversations that did go somewhere.
What would it do for your life? your business? your relationships?… if you were a little more willing to start new conversations and making them meaningful. Just imagine.
If you’d like to learn frameworks you can start practicing immediately, consider attending one of our upcoming workshops:
- Conversation Starters for Dating & Meeting People (Tonight – 7pm ET)
- Conversation Starters for Business and Beyond (Dec. 10 – 3pm ET)
