676: Joe Keohane | The Power of Talking to Strangers

In an increasingly isolated and suspicious society, we may be losing out on an incredible superpower that opens doors and actively improves our lives - the ability to talk to strangers. Joe Keohane is a New York-based writer and editor who has held high-level editorial positions with, or written for, Esquire, Medium, Entrepreneur, The New York Times, the Boston Globe, the New Yorker, and New York Magazine writing on everything from politics, to travel, to social science, business, and technology. He is now the author of his first book, The Power of Strangers: The Benefits of Connecting in a Suspicious World. Let’s dive right in and learn from Joe how the power of talking to strangers can not only build your network, but directly affect you as a person.  Things you will learn in this episode:  [00:01 - 06:29] Opening Segment  I introduce today’s guest, Joe Keohane Want better interviews? Go to Guestio.com Joe gives us some background on his storyGrowing up in a social familyAthletic as a kid Falling in with the artistic crowd Going into the job world  [06:30 - 18:50] The Power of Talking to StrangersJoe talks about his start into writingHow Joe began to network Writing to other writers about their work Joe’s college experienceJoe talks about how he got networking for writing Going to people who are doing what you want Sticking with the responsive people It should be a pleasurable experienceFollow your curiosity not an agenda A word from our sponsors  [18:51 - 33:29] The Benefits of Connecting in a Suspicious WorldThe inspiration for the book The rise of isolation The benefits of talking to strangersThe individual benefits The social benefits The example of Braver Angles Talking to people who disagree with you Talking to people to expand yourself  [33:30 - 37:29] Closing SegmentWho you know or what you know?Without who you know, what you know makes no difference We are social creatures ThE RanDoM RoUnDHow to engage with JoeLinks below Final words  Tweetable Quotes:  “I haven’t applied for a job in 10 years… My network does everything for me, it’s amazing.” - Joe Keohane “People fail at networking when they think it’s like eating your vegetables, it should be pleasurable, and indulging your curiosity.” - Joe Keohane “If you want to talk to someone you have to be willing to change, you have to be open to what they’re saying… a real conversation can actually change you.” - Joe Keohane Resources Mentioned:  The Power of Talking to StrangersConversation - Theodore ZeldinReligion for Atheists Connect and engage with Joe on Twitter and LinkedIn. Go to https://joekeohane.net/ to learn more about the power of talking to strangers.  Did you love the value that we are putting out in the show? LEAVE A REVIEW and tell us what you think about the episode so we can continue putting out great content just for you! Share this episode and help someone who wants to connect with world-class people.  Jump on over to travischappell.com/makemypodcast and let my team make you your very own show! If you want to learn how to build YOUR network, check out my website travischappell.com. You can connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Be sure to join The Lounge to become part of the community that’s setting up REAL relationships that add value and create investments. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy