Act As If · People guide
Easy ways to start a talk, keep it going and ask for what you want.
You're probably doing better than you think. After people talk with someone new, the other person usually likes them more than they guess. So the goal isn't to be perfect. It's to keep showing up and keep asking.
01 · Any talk
The question that makes people like you more is the follow-up: a question about what they just said. Ask about their answer before you change the topic.
Mind goes blank? Use one of these: "How did that start?" "What was that like?" "What happens next?"
Them: "I just got back from a trip."
You: "Where did you go?"
Them: "Utah."
You: "What was the best part?"
Why it works: People who asked more follow-up questions were liked more by the person they talked to.
02 · 1 minute
Pick one small ask you've been holding back. Ask it plainly, one time. Don't explain for a long time first.
"Could you look over my work this week?"
Why it works: When people asked strangers for help, far more said yes than they expected.
03 · 2 minutes
Say yes to one regular thing: a class, a run club, the same coffee shop at the same time.
Then send one short "thinking of you" text to someone you've lost touch with.
"Saw a taco truck today and thought of you. How are you?"
Why it works: Students who simply showed up to a class more often, without talking, were liked more by classmates by the end. And people like a short surprise check-in more than the sender expects.
Try it today
Send the text. Right now, before you scroll.
This is one piece of the Act As If Week, a free 7 day practice. Day 2 turns this into who you're becoming: "I am someone who asks one more question." It drops 11/11, and you're already on the list.