NETWORK WITHOUT EVEN TRYING

I’ve met a bunch of people around the office lately which is weird because I haven’t tried to network or get ahead in the business. 

My boss, Johann, has invited me to lunch every day this week even after he caught me sleeping at my desk for three hours on Monday.  He thought I wasn’t getting the proper nutrition my body needed so he treated me to a great steak at the bistro and bought me a bunch of power bars to snack on during the day.  This is probably good news for my body since Micah and I have made it a point to only eat pizza and donuts. 

TOTALLY AWESOME TIP: When someone opens up to you, don’t try and help them.  Just zone out and stare at them like their face is a Where’s Waldo novel. 

FUN FILLED ACTIVITY: Practice zoning out on this face.  

Here are some great things to look for:

Blemishes in the skin (1 point)

Underlying depression (2 points)

Gray hairs (1 point)

Overt Self-hatred (4 points)

Loss of hope in the eyes (5 points)

Trauma (10 points)

As you zone out and ignore what the person is saying you’ll find that people are drawn to you.  They don't want you to relate to them.  They want to be able to hear themselves and the less you talk the more that's possible for them.  

EXCELLENT EXAMPLE: Johann told me all this crap about how his life is falling apart and even though I made it clear I didn’t care, he kept talking.  He told me about how his parents’ divorced when he was 35, how he had cancer last week, and is still fighting his alcoholism.  It felt great to hear.  I never realized how fantastic my own life was until I listened to his.  Now he loves me and I love myself.  Win Win!