Interested parties

I overheard someone telling a story at two different times, to two separate colleagues.

One colleague heard the story and asked a dozen follow-up questions.

Later, another heard the same story, remarked courteously, and asked nothing.

The story was the same. The details were the same.

The listeners were different.

When we’re excited to tell others about a thing, it’s easy to forget that other people have other histories and other interests. Sometimes we’re aligned. Sometimes we’re not.

Whether sharing your work, your stories, or your interests … don’t be thrown off when you encounter silence. Instead, seek a more receptive audience.