Life's Cheat Code: Be More Interesting

How To Ethically Trick People Into Liking You

What if you could be more well-liked, land that coveted promotion, impress potential dates, or even charm your in-laws, without uttering a single word?

When it comes to life hacks, I have to admit, I'm not usually a fan. They often seem like overstated nonsense at best, or simply fail to deliver on their promises.

However, there's one hack that genuinely has the power to transform your life if you apply it effectively: Be interesting.

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The Power of Being Interesting

Being interesting does wonders. It attracts people to you, builds trust, and acts as the lubricant for the wheels of change and progress.

But the obvious question remains: Can you just become interesting? Is it an innate trait, or is there hope even for introverts?

Good news: Being interesting is a skill- one that you can learn, refine, and wield to your advantage.

Have you ever wondered why you vote for certain politicians or why companies love handing out branded swag?

These aren’t random occurrences, both politicians and big businesses have learned to use human nature to influence your actions. Now you can use the same tactics to build your confidence and become the most interesting person in the room.

Why Being Interesting Works

Being interesting simplifies life because people naturally gravitate towards those they find appealing.

Maybe you’re familiar with the concept of "pretty privilege." It's an uncomfortable truth, embedded deep in our DNA, that we prefer aesthetically pleasing individuals. This preference influences various aspects of our lives, from job opportunities to social interactions.

This happens because physcial beauty activates a “cognitive bias” (a way for your brain to simplify thinking) called the “halo effect.” This is when being perceived positively in one area can improve people's perception of you in others.

This phenomenon is why we often trust attractive or charismatic individuals more, regardless of their actual capabilities.

This is why companies use famous attractive celebrity endorsements. They want you to associate the beautiful person with their product, which will make you subconsciously look at that product more favorably.

This doesn’t only work for looks though. Being seen more favorably in one area makes others see you more positively in others.

For example, musicians are asked about their take on political issues. Political officials are asked who they take in the upcoming sports match. We assume the guy who’s good at computers also reads a lot, etc etc.

This is great news, since often changing our looks is out of our control (or maybe it’s not something you have any interest in changing). To tap into the same phenomenon, you can use being interesting a leverageable skill.

Becoming Interesting: A Practical Guide

So, how do you become interesting? You might think that if you don’t have an interesting life, you’re out of luck. If you aren’t jet-setting around and taking instagrammable photos, that no one will want to hear what you have to say.

First, that’s not true. But more importantly, it's less about what you say and more about how you present yourself and engage with others that matters.

When you're genuinely interested in others, listen more than you speak, and express passion for your interests, you naturally become more engaging, and people becoming interested in you.

The Ultimate Hack: Be Interested to Be Interesting

The secret sauce isn't just to be interesting; it's to be interested.

People love talking about themselves. By listening attentively and showing genuine interest, you not only make someone feel valued but also increase their interest in you.

This approach works because of cognitive biases like “reciprocity” and “consistency.”

“Reciprocity” says we are more inclined to give to someone who gives to us. We have built in our DNA a sense of fairness. So if you are interested in someone, it makes them feel a subconscious need to return the favor to you.

“Consistency” is a cognitive bias that makes people act in consistency with their past actions.

Benjamin Franklin once needed a favor from a judge. To gain his confidence, he asked the judge to borrow a rare book he had in his library. The judge gave him this small concession, as it took nothing from him. Why not lend a book that he’d soon get back?

Fraklin returned the book, and later he came back with the bigger, real ask, which the jude also agreed to. Why? Consistency.

The subconscious thought being, “If I lent this person a book, I must like him. If I like him, I should honor his request.”

So when you listen to someone intently, the subconscious thought is “I am telling this person a lot about myself. I must like this person,” and then our inherent need for consistency kicks in, and we act in alignment with this view.

Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It

I challenge you to put this into practice: Engage in conversations with the sole purpose of learning as much as possible about the other person.

If you want to be the most interesting person in the room, ask the most questions.

Importantly, this has to be genuine. It can’t feel like an investigation, or like you’re just aimlessly asking to try to play on their emotions. If you genuinely want to get to know someone, it will seep into their subconscious.

You'll be amazed at how this simple shift can lead to profound changes in how others perceive you.