If People Matter To You, You'll Remember Their Names

     Think about how you feel when someone you just met remembers your name.
      I often hear people say, "I'm horrible at names." I reply, "Consider that you're as good as you choose to be, and depending on what is at stake, you are quite good." I go on to ask, "If there were ten million dollars on the line and all you had to do is remember someone's name, would you succeed?" The answer is always, "Yes!" They say, "I'd repeat it write it down, tattoo it on my arm; whatever it took, I would remember their name." The truth is that somewhere between 'it doesn't matter very much' and 'ten million dollars,' our priority, ability, and capacity to remember are revealed. This simply means we're capable of remembering names but consider it so unimportant that we choose not to improve the practice.
     We have great potential to be socially outstanding on a number of fronts but tend to exercise our skill level based on whom we're with at the moment. We tune in or check out depending on what we believe the payoff to be, and therefore develop no consistency or habit or remembering names. The result is that we remain relationally anemic and miss great potential in establishing rapport with others. The value in remembering people's names is one of the highest social rewards that exist. It is the quickest way possible to let someone you just met know that you care about them and translates to instant trust. The results are nothing short of amazing. Remember that!

      Questions to yourself:

• Am I resigned to the lie that I am no good at remembering people's names?
• Will I practice this discipline starting today?