Do you wish to go further in life? Are you someone that strives for growth? Do you always feel like you can do better in life? If your answer to any of these questions is NO, then we do not think this article is for you. But, if YES, this article is for you. Read on.
WHY DO RELATIONSHIPS MATTER?
The people we get into relationships with, matter if we must grow, do better, and be successful in life. It is always important to move along with people that have the same end goals as you.
A wise man once said that we are the average of the five people we spend most of our time with. This is very true and also important to take note of when creating relationships.
If you must be successful in life, or any specific life endeavor you engage in, you must make sure you create relationships with people of like minds. That is, people that also wish to be successful. Also, your circle of friends and acquaintances must be made up of smart people.
In this article, we would be discussing ways you can develop relationships with like-minded people, as well as with smart people. But first, we must understand the concept of “like-minds” in the context of this article. Also, we would define who a smart person is.
WHO IS A PERSON OF LIKE-MIND?
A person of like mind is a person with whom you share similar opinions, ideas, interests, attitudes, etc. From this definition, it is, therefore, safe to say that a like-minded person would share in your sentiment as to what is good and what isn’t. They would also share in your defining characteristics of success. This implies that if you are someone that only believes in becoming successful via legal means, a successful or seemingly successful person that makes their money from fraud and other illegal means isn’t a person of like-mind even if they might seem successful. People of like-minds are those who think the same way as you do and have the same life philosophies you have, especially as regards success.
Like-minded people are not easy to come by, especially if you are a principled person. But, you’ll surely see a few. Few because the top is always less crowded.
WHO IS A SMART PERSON?
A smart person is a mentally sharp person. A person who thinks up what to do, learns how to do it, and does it when they are supposed to.
There are certain qualities one must have before being referred to as a “smart person”. Smart people tend to acclimatize easily to wherever they find themselves. They easily cope in new locations. They are very curious people- always wanting to learn. This is because of their insatiable quest for knowledge, as they believe that they do not know it all. Smarties are open-minded people that think outside the box. They also have self-control.
HOW DO YOU DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH LIKE-MINDED AND SMART PEOPLE?
Below are few tips on how you can develop a relationship with like-minded and smart people:
● Go out and meet them
If you do not go out and try to socialize with people, you will hardly meet people of like mind.
The places you go out to also matter. Whilst you can meet smart people everywhere, you can hardly make relationships in clubs or loud bars because people are hardly in the mood for loud conversations in such social settings. A daytime drive-in bar, an art gallery, or a chess club may be perfect places to meet people and then decide whether they are of like minds or are smart.
You can also meet them at hangouts and social gatherings. Do not sleep on opportunities to meet new people.
● Make your intentions clear
If you wish to create relationships with people of like minds or smart people, make sure your intentions are clear. Do just come close without stating your intentions – that’s creepy. Make sure your intentions are clear. While smart people may not freak out or openly show their displeasure, they may not be comfortable. This may make them very skeptical about being in a relationship with you. If you must be friends with a smart person, act like a smart person. Smart people are always vocal about what they want; you must also be vocal.
● Get to know people around you
You may not need to go far to meet with smart people or like-minded people. People around you may just be that. Consciously, learn of people around you. A good number of them, surprisingly, may be smart. Some of them may also share your sentiments.
Go close to them, learn of them, and understand them to know if they are shallow or critical. Then, you can conclude if you can develop a relationship with them.
● Let go of fear
Most times the reason why we do not slide into DMs, or walk up to people to try to ask for their friendship, is that we are scared of being rejected. Note that many people consider boldness as an attractive quality. So, if you want to develop a relationship with a smart person or a person of like mind, walk up to them or slide into their DM and talk to them. Let go of fear.
● Be persistent
Developing relationships require patience. If you wish to be in a relationship with a smart person, be persistent. Do not stop trying simply because the person says no or acts uninterested at first. They might say no because they also want to learn whether you are worth their friendship. While being persistent, try to show them what you too can offer in the relationship. Smart people hardly ever go into commensalistic or parasitic relationships.
● Listen and communicate
Communication is a key ingredient in developing any healthy relationship. Remember the goal of being in a relationship with a smart and like-minded person is to learn from each other and grow together. One way to learn from each other is via communication- speaking and listening.
When you have good communication, you do not only develop the relationship but also grow in the process.
Other ways through which you can develop relationships with like-minded and smart people are:
● Be open-minded
● Accept them the way they listen
● Communicate
● Give them their space
● Follow up