What makes you so special? The world wants to know!

photo credit: bodhih.com

There is a proverb in English that states “No man is an island.” What this means is that we are all interconnected, and we shouldn't try to live our lives alone. There may be times when we are separated from others for a time, but making friends, being with others, and enjoying each other’s company are essential to the human experience. As we spend time together, we grow together and especially have the unique opportunity to learn from one another.

But how can we learn from one another? What are some ways or methods that can help us get as much out of our friendships as we can? According to an article in Forbes online, young entrepreneur Sarah Harrington shares three tips that can help us learn from someone, even if he or she has different views from our own.

First, Sarah tells us to express genuine interest in the points of view of others. This means that when we ask him or her questions, we should be sincere in wanting to know more about his or her personal, unique experience. She quotes Dale Carnegie who once said, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

Second, Sarah reminds us to be a good conversationalist. This means that it is not only about asking questions and listening to answers. We also need to share our own experiences or opinions in connection to the person’s answers to our questions. Think of these two words: listen and share. This keeps the conversation flowing.

Finally, Sarah suggests that we ask him or her to share a story about how they learned their lessons. It is from a person’s personal story that we often learn the most and remember what they told us. Then we can share our own and they can learn from us in return.

In conclusion, we all need each other. This is not only for people to accompany us in life, but also for the chance to learn from another person’s experiences and points of view. From the article, we can do this by expressing interest in him or her, sharing our unique experiences, and telling our stories. There is so much we can learn from each other. Next time you have the chance to meet someone new, ask yourself the question, “What uniqueness does he or she offer the world?” We all have special experiences different from others. Let’s share them together and grow together.

Copyright: Prof Dave 2019