At conferences and trainings, we're always trying to get people to have deeper, more meaningful conversations, to let their guard down and share their vulnerabilities and passions -- the stuff that makes us all human! I've heard so many touching stories recently from people who had the courage to try it. Two examples:

1. A young man has been on his job for 6 months (he's a salesman). He wasn't making his quarter and as a result, his compensation dipped significantly. It dipped so much, in fact, that he had to sell his house and move his wife and two kids into a two-bedroom apartment.

2. Another young guy said he has an autistic child, who he loves more than anything. He told us about how he hates facing the constant challenge of knowing that every hour he spends playing with that child, he's contributing to the child's development and resisting drifting away to the dark side. But he's always torn between how much time he has for that and having to work to pay the bills.

That's some rough stuff they're going through. And many people would be too afraid to share those stories. But when you have the guts to share your vulnerabilities, two things happen. Inevitably, it turns out that your conversation partners have very similar vulnerabilities or problems in their lives. Secondly, they're so empathetic with you that they immediately want to help. They offer contacts or advice or just a pair of sympathetic ears. And instantly, you will have developed a more intimate relationship with your new friend, perhaps even more intimate than ones you have with some old friends.

Don't be afraid of sharing your vulnerabilities. Know that your vulnerability can be your strength.



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