Simon, that sums up my thoughts about most everything you write. People find interesting people extremely attractive. Interesting people are attracted to interesting people.
How, then, do you become an interesting person? In my experience, that is a solitary journey that begins with finding something the genuinely interests you. It can be anything from woodworking, to gardening, theatre, weightlifting, cooking, art, auto repair, homebuilding, history, music, etc. and so on and on and on. Once you pick something, you begin to explore it more deeply. Each step forward will take you into a part of the world you never would have entered without that interest.
For example, let’s say you pick woodworking. You might start by building a simple table. As you make more pieces, you will find you want more tools, a better work-space, better techniques, etc. You will start looking for different wood to work with – and experimenting with finishes. In time you will find you start learning about places the wood comes from, how grain works, etc.
Each step will also take you to people you never would have met without that interest. You will meet men and women at the store where you buy your tools, wood, finishes, etc. You might start going to museums, old home tours, or galleries etc. where you can see the work of other woodworkers and meet people there.
When you go to parties, or visit with someone, you will have something interesting to talk about. You might talk about a piece of African Padauk you just ran across - the place it came from, the design for the box you are making, and how you feel about working with such a beautiful piece of wood.
Old fashioned hobbies like these build truly interesting people. I’ve met hobbyists, who lend their skills to theatre groups, turn their hobbies into jobs, do demonstrations at schools and colleges, travel to special events, write books, and meet new people all the time.
Every interesting man I’ve ever met, was deeply invested in a personal interest all his very own. That’s how they developed self-discipline, self-confidence, and self-worth, that brought them satisfaction and contentment.
