(Photo by Bibimorvarid)
What are some of the most amazing things you experience that are often taken for granted?
Your friends
Your family
Your significant other
I find that one of the most common things that people take for granted are the people in their lives, and more importantly their stories
A story can be anything, but typically it is a snapshot of their life that offers so much uniqueness and individuality that you can’t help but be fascinated
These stories are often overlooked, and many times are rarely even brought to the table in a conversation
I am here to tell you that some of the most fascinating and best learning experiences I have ever had in my life were when I had a engrossing LISTENING experience with my friends and family and even a stranger that I met for a few moments
Here are some tips and insight I have received while actively pursuing the stories of the many people I have met in my adventures around the world
Every person is unique in this world
They have their own appearance, style, interests, passions, everything
The most fascinating thing above all of this, and the single thing above all us that makes is individuals in this world is our life stories
These stories cannot be duplicated, reproduced, or even relived by anyone but the person who experienced it firsthand
Even identical twins that were raised the exact same way and were given the exact same life experience would turn out to have two completely different people, each with their own unique outlook on the rollercoaster that was their life
Every person you meet has one of these amazing stories to share
No matter what happened in your life, good or bad, your life story is amazing and those experiences are what shaped you into the person you are today. Listening to this story from someone is one of the most rewarding and powerful experiences you can have
All you need to do is have a conversation with someone
Instead of talking, proactive listening, ask people what they are passionate about, how they got interested into it, why they enjoy it
People will always fall back onto their life experiences, and offer you clips of their life that are reminiscent of a long study of a beautiful painting
Whether they are friends, family, or some random bar groupie, you will never be disappointed
It’s a great experience because the person you are talking to is fully engrossed in telling their tale
The passion and expressiveness that they use dwarfs any Michael Bay blockbuster or trip to a theme park, or even a night of passion (okay maybe not that 😉 )
You can also be offered a plethora of knowledge that will offer new insight and advice for use in your own life
One of the best ways to learn is by hearing it, “from the horse’s mouth” and hearing someone explain some experience that they went through can ultimately benefit you in your own present and future endeavors. This firsthand experience is some of the best information you will ever receive on any subject
I once struck up a conversation with a man who worked at a Caribou coffee, what started out as banter quickly evolved into a brief but intrinsic look into his life and his dreams of being a veterinarian. Every moment after I went into that store I was greeted warmly and was offered my normal coffee for free on the basis that I always came in on the evenings.
I have had similar instances with business connections, life advice, free drinks at bars, and even developed some great long term relationships out of merely having a meaningful conversation with another person, and taking a genuine interest in who they were and what they loved
Its not even about the material rewards, even if you never get anything physical in return, the mere act of doing this will be rewarding enough for you
The possibilities of opening yourself and your ears to the people you met on a day to day basis may not sound like the most fun idea, hell it might even seem boring
But I assure you that if you try this a few times, and learn to truly listen to someone and not just go through the motions like you normally would, you will find nuggets of gold in what people are saying
The next time you go to the bar, spend time with friends, run into someone at a grocery store, be sure chat them up and be sure to really listen to them and watch the benefits to them and yourself flow
Gabriel
This is a good post. I need to work on this more often I think. Day to Day I always seem to do the same stuff over and over and never give a “stranger” conversation another look. Good Stuff