Be Interested

“If you want to have an interesting dinner conversation, be interested. If you want to have interesting things to write, be interested. If you want to meet interesting people, be interested in the people you meet–their lives, their history, their story.” ¹

–Jim Collins, management consultant; author, Built to Last and Good to Great

If you want to be a likeable person, demonstrate a genuine interest in other people’s lives. Collins says one of the best pieces of personal advice he ever received came when the great civic leader, John Gardner encouraged him to spend less time trying to be interesting, and more time being interested. It revolutionized his life.

It’s true, everybody has a story to tell, and when we show an interest in hearing at least a portion of someone else’s experience we validate their worth and endear them to us.

¹ Excerpt from Business 2.0, December, 2005., p. 109.
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Comments by Rich DuBose. BetterSermons © 2008. All rights reserved. Use of this material is subject tousage guidelines | View main index