We're told to build rapport. To make people like us. It's a lie.

A comfortable lie, but a lie nonetheless.

People don't buy from people they like.

They buy from people who understand them.

We've been trained to start conversations with meaningless pleasantries. "How's the weather?" "I saw you went to this college." It's all a performance. A dance of fake connection that everyone sees through.

It's a waste of time. And insulting.

True connection isn't built on shared trivialities. It's built on a shared understanding of a problem. A situation. A need. Relevance.

Relevance is the new rapport.

When you lead with relevance, you signal something different...

You signal that you've done the work. That you're not just another person trying to sell something. You're a person who can help.

This isn't just a sales tactic. It's a life philosophy.

A way of interacting with the world that is built on a foundation of respect and understanding.

Stop trying to be liked.

The world is noisy. Full of people shouting for attention.

The only way to cut through the noise is to whisper something relevant.

Something that matters to the person you're talking to.