Each of us shares this planet with 7.8 billion other people. Really let that sink in for a moment—7.8 billion people, all completely unique, all playing out from birth to death and epic saga filled with love, fear, change, adversity, hope . . . just like you. A handful of people in that 7.8 billion are those who you love and cherish. But there are also the people you will work with and for, the people who can help you excel and achieve, the people who need your help and your unique gifts, and the people who are going to challenge you to evolve in ways you can’t yet imagine.
Despite our being jam-packed and full of possibilities to connect, the world today is set up to reinforce an illusion of separateness. We may feel that we are fundamentally alone in our experience, with our sole responsibility being to advance our own narrow interests, gain material security, or bolster our egos against a hostile and uninterested universe. And yet . . . in our most vulnerable moments, we remember what really matters: deep human connection.
If there’s just one skill that will guarantee you a happier, more successful life, it’s the ability to have compassionate, cooperative relationships with other people. Whether it’s with your family members, friends, colleagues, or romantic partners, there’s no area of life that isn’t improved when you get on better with the other humans in your world. Poor relationships are arguably the most significant public health risk—without proper communication, we are unable to parent, unable to love, unable to lead in business, unable to negotiate, and entirely unable to make sense of our lives in our friendships, our families, our communities. Communication is nothing less than the fabric that stitches all 7.8 billion of us together.
In this book, we’ll be looking at practical ways to transform yourself into someone who is likeable, communicates well, and has meaningful, productive connections with others. Though this might be an area of difficulty for you currently, the good news is that all of us have the capacity to improve the way we connect and communicate.
