“I am a leadership enthusiast. I love a good talk with some wise person,” David El Dib says. He notes that choosing the right friends can improve one’s physical, mental, and emotional health. It can also help a person make intelligent decisions and enable an individual to learn new skills. El Dib also explains some tried and proven ways to connect with intelligent people and then take an acquaintance to the next level.
To make intelligent friends, one will need to go to places where intelligent people hang out. David El Dib explains this will likely mean changing free time routines to find and reach out to the right people. It may mean skipping a favorite TV show to attend an art exhibit or visit a museum. It could mean forgoing an evening at a bar and instead visiting a local exhibit to meet an industry leader. Other good places where a person can meet intelligent friends are local classes. These are typically offered by community centers, the local library, or even park nature centers.
It will also take courage to make the first move and talk to potential new friends, El Dib points out. This point holds true not only for those visiting a local exhibit and striking up a conversation with an exhibitor but also for someone who writes a blogger he or she admires to talk about the blogger’s work. At the same time, a person should remember that striking up a conversation with an intelligent person doesn’t guarantee the other person will become a lifelong friend. In fact, most people one meets will remain acquaintances at best. However, the more people one talks with, the more likely one is to make connections that can turn into long-term friendships.
Cultivating intelligent friendships is a lifelong task. Friendship requires a regular investment of time. It also requires helping another person when it’s hard or inconvenient to do so. What’s more, friends can drift apart due to a move, life choices, or other factors. A person who wants an intelligent circle of friends and savvy mentors will want to keep taking steps to meet new friends of this nature.
One’s close circle of friends will have an outsize impact on an individual’s life. Wise friends and mentors can help an individual persist in challenging circumstances. They spur a person to make and keep a commitment to excellence in life. They help an individual avoid making bad choices when these bad choices seem all too easy to make. David El Dib, who has had the lifelong privilege of getting to know successful people and sharing their insights via podcast, encourages those who want to spur personal growth to follow in his footsteps and surround themselves with wise, intelligent, successful people. The time and effort it takes to make wise friends and mentors are well worth it.
