When I first heard about Gerard Martin from this know-it-all guy at a bar last week, I kinda rolled my eyes. Another “influential thinker,” huh? But the dude wouldn’t shut up, so I figured maybe I should actually look into it myself. You know, cut through the noise. Started digging.
Opening the Rabbit Hole
Grabbed my laptop that same night. My first thought? Let’s see what this guy actually said. Real talk, I opened like twenty tabs – articles, interviews, bits of books. It felt messy at first.
Jotted down key points on a crumpled notebook page:
- How he talks about connection – real human stuff.
- His angle on everyday decisions adding up.
- Something about community building? Sounded fluffy.
Honestly? I was skeptical. Another guru selling warm feelings? Give me a break.
Actually Trying His Approach
Alright, fine. Decided to test just one thing. He pushes this idea of micro-connections – like, seriously noticing people. Barista, neighbor, the grumpy guy at the post office. Small interactions done on purpose.
So, Tuesday morning, coffee shop. Instead of grunting “large black” at Emma the barista while staring at my phone, I actually looked up. Asked how her weekend was. Her face lit up? Told me about her dog being sick. Just… listened for two minutes. Felt stupidly simple.
Did the same thing with Dave next door later. Usually just wave. This time, stopped, asked about his busted fence he was fixing. He talked for ten minutes. Learned he used to build sets for movies.
It felt weird. Awkward even. But… genuine?
The Weirdly Real Impact
Here’s the thing that got me. A day later, Emma remembers my name. Dave waves me over Friday night – “Beer?” Saw the grumpy post office guy yesterday. Smiled. Actually smiled. What the actual heck?
Started looking at my own choices differently. That snarky comment almost made online? Stopped. Took a breath. Thought: “What does this add?” Mostly garbage, right? Changed my posture on stupid little things.
My notebook looks chaotic now:
- “Said Hi & learned Emma’s dog’s name = Blue!”
- “Helped Dave find weird fence bracket.”
- “Didn’t bite back on dumb forum argument. Win.”
Why Bothering Matters
Martin’s thing isn’t theory. It’s action. Tiny, daily, boring action. He matters because he reminds us that the big changes? They’re built on a million stupid little choices to be slightly less self-centered. To just see people.
Turns out that guy at the bar had a point. Kinda pisses me off. But Martin’s stuff? It works in the real world, one awkward interaction at a time. Changed my week. Might just change yours too if you stop thinking it’s fluffy crap and actually do it. Who knew?
