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I was at Starbucks and overheard a guy approach a girl. Here’s how it went down. “Hi, my name is Mike. I’m new to the area and was wondering if I could ask you a question?” She said, “Sure.” “What’s your go-to spot for lunch around here?” Her face lit up. “You gotta try Pura Vida. It’s amazing.” Here’s what struck me about what happened next. Instead of jumping in with his own thoughts, he stayed with hers: “What is it about that place?” She kept opening up. The lesson? Conversations open when you stay curious about their world, not when you rush to insert yours. Whether you’re selling, networking, or even just meeting someone new people don’t want your pitch. They want your presence. The best way to be interesting is to be interested. |
Josh Braun
A sculptor doesn’t create the statue. They remove everything that’s not it. They don’t add. They reveal. Prospecting’s the same. It’s your job to add more: More features, more value props. more ROI. The real art? It’s removing. Chipping away and revealing a problem prospects might not know about that can hurt them. Except your tool isn’t a chisel. It’s a question. Because a good question makes people stop and think, “Hmm, I’m not sure.” Good questions make people see something they hadn’t...
There’s a saying in the foster care world that changed how I see people: “All behavior makes sense with enough information.” When a child lashes out, hides, or shuts down, you start to see it’s not defiance.It’s protection. A quiet way of saying, I’ve been hurt before. And adults aren’t so different. The colleague who always needs to be right, maybe control is how they stay safe. The partner who pulls away maybe, love once came with conditions. The boss who’s never satisfied, maybe approval...
My friend Marty has been retired for forty-six years. He lives simply.A small home.A ten-year-old car.Four months of fly fishing every year.He doesn’t chase more.He doesn’t need to.He’s content with mornings by the river. Grateful for what he has. When I joined him once, we ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by the water. It tasted better than any five-star meal I’ve ever had. I also know people worth a hundred million dollars who still feel restless. Most are anxious.Always measuring...