ONE QUESTION YOU SHOULD ASK EVERYONE YOU MEET

As I stood in a room full of people at a cocktail party once, I realized that every opening conversation was dominated by this question, “What do you do?”

We seek to understand and define people by their ‘doing’ in the world.  For some reason we categorize and rank people’s worth in this world by what they “do.”

Does what you do matter more than who you are?  No.

“It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living, I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.”



I want to know what your story is…

7 Billion Stories in the World wow!
I don’t care what you do or what you own.  I just want to know who you are.  I want to know your uniqueness, the experiences you’ve had and the learnings you’ve gained.  I want to know your story.

What is your story?  Everyone has one.  No two stories are the same.  There are over 7 billion people in this world and none are like you.  You are unique.  Your entire life journey including your upbringing, challenges, your hard learned lessons, your experiences, achievements and gifts, are all a series of footprints that have brought you to this very moment in time as you read these words.

Every person you walk or drive past on the street has their own story.  Every person in front of you in line at the grocery store has their own story.  Every friend and work colleague in your life has their own story.

The old man who lives up the street and wanders past my house each day has his own story.  The girl on the bus sitting opposite me right now who has tears in her eyes, she has her own story.  The boy in the library who never stops laughing, even when his mother constantly asks him to be quiet, he has his own story too.

Think about the millions of moments, the series of events that leads each person to cross your path.  Who are they really underneath that exterior?  Where did they come from?  What do they long for?  What makes them tick?

Will you ask?

Life is a tapestry of people weaving in and out of your life, people come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.  Everyone has something to offer and share with you.  Imagine treating every person you encounter, no matter how fleeting, as an intriguing story waiting to be told.  But the story can only be told if someone asks to hear it.  Will you ask?  That person you see standing before you, no matter who they are, young or old, rich or poor, angry or kind, is like a blockbuster movie ready to enthral you.  But, first you have to buy a ticket. #okaynojokes#

So if you do not want to get that big lie of an answer that comes with the question " what do you do?" You now know what to ask or how to start up a sincere and good conversation...

Until next time...