There’s an idea called the theory of the slight edge: the things that change our lives are easy to do and small. As easy as they are to do, they’re easy to not do. We’re all about the slight edge here at the Art of Likability, and the slight edge covered in this episode is the lost art of being nice and appreciative of people.
Common courtesy like thanking someone for holding the door open is different than what it used to be. At its worst, it seems like an obligatory “thank you” (which not everyone does), but at its best, it is a lot more. Simply the words “thank you” can demonstrate how nice and how you appreciate someone for going out of their way to make your day easier. With this slight edge, you’re going out of your way to make their day better too. It’s as if every door is a real door of opportunity to grow your likability!
People like to be appreciated as well. If you’ve just gifted a kid their favorite birthday present, their appreciation for your action shoots through the roof and that is exhilarating. You get the feeling that you almost want to buy this kid another present just to get that feeling of appreciation again!
Now you don’t need to buy presents for everyone to grow your likability, and you don’t need to fuss over coming off as subservient either, given that showing how you appreciate other people for what they do is a lost art. It’s a simple slight edge everyone and anyone can use, but rarely do, but by now it’s a part of your arsenal.
Thanks for listening to the show! Stay tuned, and stay awesome!
