How to be more interesting…*Zzz*

Of late, I find that people are increasingly boring (me).

Now that is a strong statement. But I am pretty sure I am not alone on this. Surely at least one, if not all, of you have met someone who makes you go *Zzz* before they even finish their sentence.

I was at a party the other day and got trapped in a, frankly, mundane conversation. Someone started on the topic about exercise. Each person in the group started talking about the type of exercise they do and naturally, they end their statement by saying something to the effect of, “It is sooooo good! You all must try”. Some cheery and upbeat person jumps in and squeal, “Oh! We must! It sounds fun! When?” Next, everyone complain about how their busy schedule don’t allow them to (followed by lengthy discussions about just how busy they are) or how they have some physical bodily limitation that doesn’t allow them to try (a bad back, weak ankles, no guts…) The conversation (finally) conclude with general praises all around for the act of exercising and its benefits. Someone (has to) reach over to squeeze my arms and comment, “Yalah! Check out Frou’s arms!” A round of giggles ensue.

My face (at the start, during and conclusion of conversation): -___-“

Perhaps such conversation don’t bore you, but it really did my head in. I don’t dispute the actual content per se but I have serious issues with its delivery. If I can already predict how and what everyone is going to say, how can this conversation widen my perspective on the topic or improve my life in any way? Even if the content is trite, the conversation is not even funny. The Queen would have dismissed it as a total waste of time.

I read somewhere that it is not the words that you say, but how you express what happens in your mind that makes you an interesting person. Edward De Bono, the author of “How to be more interesting”, also say that it is what you cause to happen in the mind of a listener that makes you interesting.

His advice is that we should draw associations that most people don't think about, and to “dazzle your associates with your mental flexibility". In order words, don’t be typical.

To give you an example,

On the same topic of exercise, how would you tell your friends about a new exercise equipment you recently bought?

Would you start with where you bought it, how much it cost, what it do (in details) and how everyone else should have try it too because “it is soooooo good”?

Or would you say it this way:

“I have embarked on a new plan to attain abs of steel. I went to OG (the most auntie department store) to purchase a abs bench! It's called AB KING PRO! (I saw it on SELLAVISION!) It's quite cheesy. There's a man (with a 6 pack) standing in his underpants wearing a kingly ROBE and CROWN... He's the King of Abs! There's also a DVD for you to do your workout to. In 2 months time, I'd be able to crack coconuts on my belly. If it works, everyone is welcome to come over to have a go!…I was tired already from carrying the infernal thing up to my apartment.”

Now that is what I call, an interesting delivery! HAHAHAHA! I only wish that I could get the mental image of King of Abs outta my head! (Mine looks like Michaelangelo’s David. Yours?)

By the way, I wonder if Dailytoe is suggesting that we should “have a go” on the machine or at cracking coconuts on her abs…..