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All you have to do is gather diverse experiences and knowledge and be able to communicate them with others in meaningful ways. That’s how to be more interesting in a nutshell. Whew! Now for 15 pointers on how to get there (including a very, very important tip in # 4).
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1. Develop A New Skill
Knowing how to do something that others may not is an ego-massaging, confident-boosting gold star you get to wear on your sleeve. Unique skills make you more valuable, more marketable (depending on the skill), and more desirable to have around. (Hint, hint: For future Mr. or Mrs. Right.) Some suggestions–learn how to: cook, defend yourself, fix a drain, read minds, edit videos, or play a musical instrument. There’s a famous advertisement with the headline: They Laughed When I Sat Down At the Piano. But When I Started To Play!~
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2.Volunteer
Giving your time and energy to a cause shows you care about something. This innately connects with others’ altruistic side that motivated them to volunteer someplace. Or it touches the part of them that wished they volunteered. You gain respect in their eyes and this raises your “interest” level. Let’s not forget the skills and experiences you pick up by doing whatever tasks are necessary as a volunteer. You meet new people and maybe travel to unfamiliar places. This builds your repertoire of experiences.
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3. Tell Good Stories
How many times have you been part of a group conversation when the topic touches on something for which you have a great story? But you can’t tell it in a cohesive fashion and instead opt to stay quiet. Or worse, you slaughter the tale as you fumble through trying to remember details and what to reveal next. Take time to learn how to communicate stories in an engaging and interesting narrative. Good storytelling is also a valuable skill to have if you are giving a speech. You can own the crowd if you start with a story and tell it perfectly. Try to have three good stories “in your pocket.”
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4. Be Curious About Others
People want to share their stories. After all, everybody’s favorite subject is themselves. Show your interest by being curious about their life experiences, their families, or even just how their day is going. If you can learn about others by letting them share their stories, you become more interesting to them. However, there’s a fine line between being amicably inquisitive…and creepy. Don’t get too personal, don’t pry, and don’t bombard a coworker or cohort with questions that will make them start to squirm or seek Security.
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5. Be Informed
Read a lot, and read a lot of varied materials. Find an interesting blog and follow it. Read the newspaper (even just the headlines) to get a grasp on local and world events. (Read a foreign newspaper to get a completely different cultural perspective on similar events.) Read novels, nonfiction or a magazine you normally wouldn’t look at. Become a “jack-of-all information” in which you can contribute thoughtful insights or a new perspective into conversations. Be careful not to feel compelled to always comment or to come across like a know-it-all. That’s not interesting. That’s annoying.
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6. Learn A Language
It’s a great feeling to be able to communicate with somebody in a language not your own. Not only that, it ups your “interesting” value. Most English speakers (ahem, most Americans) rely on others to speak their language. That is, English. It does not matter where in the world they are. “Excuse me. Do you speak English?” Investing in learning another language itself will make others find you interesting. To be able to actually speak the tongue will inspire others to ask how, when, and why you learned it.
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7. Give Your Opinion
If you agree with everything others say, that makes you a Yes Man. (Or Yes Woman.) Nobody likes a yes man. Share your thoughts and if need be, disagree with your friends, coworkers, teachers, boss, whomever. Just do it in a positive, respectful manner. Let them know where you stand. It could lead to a more meaningful conversation and a deeper understanding of the issue…and of each other. Warning! It helps to be well-informed before you tip your hand on controversial issues. Giving your opinion without having facts or information could backfire and make you look foolish.
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8. Stick With Your Passions
It is definitely good to be knowledgeable in various areas. That does not mean you should invest your time in learning about subjects in which you have no interest, like anthill architecture. You can spend hours learning about it (if there is even that much material on the subject of anthills), but if you share what you learned, it will be obvious you aren’t be too excited about it. (Read: boring.) Delve into subjects that already interest you. Not only will you learn something new and valuable for yourself, your passion will show if you share with others, and your enthusiasm will likely keep the others interested and add depth to your character.
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9. Know Your Audience
Not every interesting message is geared for every person. There is no point in saying something if the other person does not care about it. You need to develop your instincts for the things people want to hear. That’s knowing your audience. Tailor your message for them in terms of content…and quantity. If you take a vacation to Cabo Wabo, Mexico, what you tell your parents about the trip is going to be different from what you tell your friends (and possibly also your coworkers). Each group is interested in hearing about different aspects of your trip. Try to gauge the others’ reactions to know when to move onto the next subject.
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10. Listen To NPR
Your commute is an ideal time to catch perspectives on events you don’t usually hear in the mainstream media. If you can get by the monotone broadcasters, National Public Radio offers unique angles and also feature stories that don’t make it to the big networks. These stories can enlighten you, inspire you, and open your mind to the world in ways other networks fail. You’ll arrive at the office, dinner party, or club armed with interesting ideas and information.
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11. Do Interesting Things
Make yourself interesting by doing interesting things. Take a vacation somewhere unusual. Enjoy a train ride through the country. Eat at an off-the-path restaurant. Take in a show you normally wouldn’t consider. The more interesting and unusual things you do, the more interesting and unusual experiences you have to share with others. Most people you know want to hear your stories. (If they are interesting, that is.)
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12. Learn To Dance
Dancing is such an exciting and invigorating activity it can’t help but rub off on your social life. Learning to dance can build your confidence and help you shake any self-doubts. Not everybody knows how to cha-cha, salsa, or swing, and taking classes to learn how is half the fun. Being able to display what you’ve learned is priceless and attention-getting. Ever see the movie Swingers? Jon Favreau’s boring character gets immediately interesting when he takes Heather Graham’s character onto the dance floor and shows his moves.
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13. Ask Good Questions
In the movie, Working Girl, Melanie Griffith’s character has an elevator ride to make her business pitch. (Actually, her explanation.) It’s become known in business circles as “The Elevator Speech,” where you have 20 seconds (the duration of an elevator ride) to make your speech. Instead of a speech, have “elevator questions,” some simple yet thought-provoking queries you can ask others. Asking friendly questions that cause others to think beyond the current weather shows a deeper, more interesting side of you. Make sure the questions don’t get too personal, and you don’t have to actually be on an elevator. Examples: Can you tell me something really good that happened to you this week? Do you have a charity or cause you’re passionate about? What’s the best thing about your job?
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14. Know When To Zip It
You can be the best storyteller. You may have climbed Mt. Everest and on the way down saved three people’s lives using your shoelace and eye patch. You may have even won an Olympic Gold Medal. If you don’t know when to ferme la bouche, as interesting as you may be, you’ll come across as annoying. There’s a time to talk and there’s a time to not talk…or just to listen. Being a good listener carries a lot of weight with people. It’s also a hard skill to master, but if you do master it and can really listen to other people, they’ll always be interested in talking with you.
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15. Find New Friends
If you are still reading, you have serious concerns about your “interesting” level. It could be you are very interesting, in fact, but your crew just doesn’t appreciate you. Find other friends with whom to spend time. This could provide just the dynamic you need to feel better about yourself. Join a club, a team or just take a dog for a walk and you’ll meet new people.
[Featured Image Credit: www.knigge.ru]
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