networking eventHow many times have you been invited to parties? Networking events? Kids’ birthday parties? Family reunions? Events where you have to show up because, well one, it would look bad if you didn’t. And two, there might be the outside chance that you might actually meet somebody who can actually help you or connect with on a business level.

What do you do when you show up at one of these places? You walk around and it’s just a bunch of really boring small talk, over and over again, with people you really don’t relate with.

A lot of you who have kids will totally understand that feeling. Your kid plays. Let’s say your kid’s name is Billy. And he plays with Timmy. Timmy’s parents are some of the most boring people you’ve ever met. Hanging out with them is like watching paint dry on a hot, humid afternoon.

And yet, you have to go on a play date. Or you have to go and show up at a birthday party. And then, of course, all their friends are equally as dull as they are because dull people attract dull people.

What do you do in those situations?

You don’t really want to be phony, per se.

And I don’t know if you feel like me, but small talk… well, I actually would rather pull out each nostril hair one by one than engage in some of the small talk people throw at me.

Especially if you go to a party like that and you have to make the rounds. And you have to have one equally dull small talk conversation after the next.

So what do you do? You take on a whole different mindset. The mindset is called “looking for the diamond in the rough.”

Granted, you already know and acknowledge that it’s going to be an afternoon or an evening full of dull small talk. That’s okay.

But what you need to realize is there might be somebody there through all the small talk that might actually surprise you because, for every person you feel like pulling your nose hairs out, there’s always somebody there that makes you feel alive and great. So the next time you go, make the rounds, time the small talk.

And realize you’re just searching, looking for the diamond in the rough. They’re going to be at that party. Have that mindset. And they’re going to be looking for you as well. Because like attracts like. Because when they go around and they feel like they want to rip out every single nose hair, one by one, they’re also looking for somebody that’s going to save them.

Case in point: I went to an event one time with my kid. I ran into a bunch of people I don’t really relate to. And at the end of the night, I ended up running into somebody and had an amazing hour-long conversation about life and love and everything else.

It happens when you turn on that energy. When you say to yourself, “I am going to find a like-minded person who’s going to enlighten me and I’m going to be able to enjoy.”