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"I was leaving a comment on his blog, and we met for breakfast and I completely bombed it. I just had a kid. I was exhausted. I forgot my wallet. I asked him to breakfast. I think at one point I even said to him, 'How do you live with your wife?' after he told me a story about her. Just a bad day. And I got home, my wife put my smiling baby on my lap and I cried saying I'm never gonna hear from that guy again. Two months later, I published something on WordPress and he saw it, and he left a comment. 'This is good.' Like a month afterwards, 'This one's great.' And he helped me to get that into Fast Company."
Stories of people doing business and life well. We explore what it means and what it takes to do business and life well.
I’m your host, Peter Wilson. If you’re like me, you’re intrigued by stories of common people who have achieved uncommon success in business and life. Join me as I interview fascinating people about how they got started, their successes and failures, their habits and routines, and what inspires them.
Today, my guest is Michael Thompson. He is a career coach, a leadership lecturer at, a master's program in Spain, communication strategist. And as of 2024, he is an author. He wrote a book, shy by design, 12 timeless principles to quietly stand out. And I'm just so pleased to have you with us today, Michael.
Michael:Thanks. Thank you, Peter. It's really great to get to know you, and I'm excited to dig in.
Peter:When did the book come out?
Michael:It came out July 16 in The US, and it just came out this like, the hardcover came out in The UK and Europe four days ago.
Peter:Awesome. So Shy by Design talks about your personal journey. What motivated you to write this book?
Michael:So I grew up shy and stuttering, and I moved around a lot from my dad's job in the air force. So I kinda perpetually felt out of place. I was that kid who had to stand up in front of the class. The teacher said, please introduce yourself, and I froze. I felt I got picked on in high school by teachers.
Michael:So I kind of always had a yeah. It just felt kinda like I didn't belong anywhere. And after college, my buddies were all, like, going out into the world and getting jobs and going on vacations, and I was barbacking in Baltimore. And as a personal challenge, I pursued a sales job as kind of a Mount Everest. And I found a place that was kind of dumb enough to hire me.
Michael:And I got really, like, the first ninety days on the job were rough. Like, I got hung up on. I actually hung up on people just because I stutter on m's still. And my name's Michael, and I was selling mortgages. So it's something that I kinda had to enunciate a million times.
Michael:So I even got more than the clients.
Peter:It's a telemarketing type job?
Michael:It was mortgage sales. So we were like this was pre boom. So I got in at a good time. And probably around the ninety day mark, I kinda hit my stride, and I stopped trying to be like the more extroverted and charisma people in the office. I realized that there was a lot of people in the office who were shy, introverted, and reserved the top sales person in the office was kinda socially awkward.
Michael:But he was great at listening. He took great notes. He was focused. He wanted the best for his clients, and he stood out. And so kind of some things happened that my eyes opened that, hey.
Michael:Maybe, like, I'm okay here. And it's funny. I my big break was I went to a sales conference, and a Zig Ziglar type said something towards the end of his talk like, hey. And remember, if you can't get someone to talk to you, start stuttering. They'll see you as a human being instead of a salesperson.
Michael:My team and I, we all erupted. Like, I was like, I know how to start stutter. And, like, that kind of just confidence boost of, hey. Maybe I do belong here, and I'm okay. And I have strengths that I've hidden, like, underneath my weak my perceived weaknesses Mhmm.
Michael:That I need to kind of, like, uncover and unearth. And so that was my start in the world. And just like most like, I I took my newfound confidence. I got promoted to the management team within about eighteen months or so, top 10 in the company, corporate trainer. And I took my confidence and money I made in that job, went to Central America right when the financial crisis hit.
Michael:Business partner's dad stole he changed the deeds of my property, sold about from under me. So I went back down a couple years later after I sat in a bar in Pennsylvania. I got on a plane to Barcelona, and my shoulders dropped. I focused again, and I started to teach English, got work at doing presentation seminars, met met my wife doing that. And that steamrolled into helping, like, other people who lack confidence to speak at to own their story and voice.
Michael:That's a lot of the work I do at the university, and I also help, like, CEOs, like, c c c suite types to write their books. So I'm kinda hopping in and out of a lot of things.
Peter:Nice. So that so and you have looked at the you know, obviously, there's a lot of books out there, but you you you found that that this you wanted to tell your story, obviously, in the hopes that it's gonna help some others, along the way as well. And, so I'm just curious. Was there a moment in your recent past, or when when did you when did you have that decision? Like, okay.
Peter:I need to write this down.
Michael:Alright. So that's a yeah. Sorry. I I think you asked that in the beginning, and a little bit of a backstory.
Peter:No. No. No. Don't worry. I'm good at coming back.
Michael:With the context, yeah, the the so the there were two three things. I started to write when I was 38, so about eight years ago, and I quickly realized that I should have started to write earlier. My I'm my best communicate in writing. So I punished myself for fifteen years in sales, and I'm glad I did because I have stories to tell, and I have experiences. I've had to give presentations, interviews, workshops.
Michael:But the big moment was with my first shot like, my first son. He's shy. He stutters. My dad during COVID got cancer and, like, right when I signed the book deal, And I was kind of frozen. Like, this seems insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
Michael:And, like and he had said, he was like, well, I'm gonna write my, like, legacy book. You write your book, and I want you to keep at it. So it's just one of those things. It kind of feels like my first mountain book in a ways. So I'm 46.
Michael:Like, looking back, I want my kids to know that they're already cool. There's a lot of ways to go from a to b in the world. Popularity and stuff in high school, it kind of we carry what we think is cool or great or confident or through what we like, the level that we set in high school. Like, a lot of us, like, keep that image through life, and life changes. And at 40, I don't care if someone's charismatic.
Michael:I want them to listen and care. And it's just kind of, like, sometimes the loud is kind of annoyed. Like, I like quiet now. You know? Yeah.
Michael:So it's kind of the combination of things where it's like, this is my time to do it and family stuff. Like, it's usually the driver is, like, a personal reason for me. It's a lie that I can't write a book just because I need to write a book. Like, it's like I have to want it.
Peter:Yeah. So you had this internal fire plus your dad obviously inspiring you. Yeah. So so just cur how is your dad?
Michael:He's good. He said like, we've had a couple phone calls where he's like, I've been told that this is it, and he keeps beating it. He's coming here in two weeks for the first time in five years. So he got like, he was trying to go into the hospital right when COVID hit saying I'm losing weight. Like and they thought it was just COVID or languishing, like the typical words.
Michael:Like and after six months, he had lost, like, 25 pounds. That happened to what like, he'd so, like, we went back for Christmas this past year for the first time, and we got COVID the day we landed. So we spent Christmas in the basement. We like, we didn't see my parents. My Yikes.
Michael:My youngest is six. So my parents my dad just got the clear. He's been taking all these immunity shots for COVID and other things, and they're coming here in in two weeks. So fingers crossed.
Peter:I'm glad to hear that. Yeah. It's cool.
Michael:It's a very weird place, though, of that of not being able to do like, you can't go home. You can't Leleo was a weird place to navigate. Yeah. It's like you get news and you wanna get on a plane, and then you're like, well, I can't get on a plane. Mhmm.
Michael:So we've had some good talks over Zoom and Skype, but it'll be, yeah, pretty good to see them.
Peter:That's great. So so with respect to the book itself and, like, what I would expect to, you know, get out of the book. What what are some points that you hope folks get out of the book?
Michael:I think the big thing is just to question everything in the beginning. The underlying current of the book is like, it's kind of a book. It's not a book from good to great. It's more from bad to not awful. Like, it serves as a spark to put yourself out into the world.
Michael:Yeah. There's more expert how to communicate in a negotiation. This is for me at 21, 25, or even 30. There's a lot of people I speak with who are 50 who are like, I need this now. Yeah?
Michael:Just to kinda question everything and how the world operates, like like I'm like alluded to previously, it's I accepted the world I was born into, and I didn't question anything. My dad's environment was like, he's a great guy, but I was surrounded by people who are, like, shoulders back, head high, shake someone's hand, break it. And I was the opposite of that. And I put on a mask. I tried to be that that person, and it just didn't work.
Michael:Like, it was those experiences in sales that made me question, like, hey. Maybe there's different ways to do this. Looking back, I would probably rename the book, like, everything I learned about social skills growing up was wrong. Like, I don't like, I stand to the side. I don't get in front of someone.
Michael:I don't try to leave an amazing first impression. Like, I try to have it as a quick interaction, like, upbeat, let someone go on their way, and follow-up with a nice thought, like like a recommendation of a book. Like, these small steps that we take is what builds relationships. And I got caught up in the game where I thought that I had to, like, perform to impress people. And that sounds sometimes you do have to do that.
Michael:If you're in front of a VC, you're interviewing for a prison guard job, you need to be a little bit more confident. And Right. But with a lot of people, it's just the warmth, caring, being curious, like asking a few questions and showing some way in the future you were paying attention and listening to them.
Peter:So it's it in some respects, it's the it's not about you as the performer. It's about the person you're interacting with. So you're focusing on them, not you. And a lot of and most people feel more comfortable talking about themselves or at least relating something about themselves. Right?
Michael:Yeah.
Peter:So it's it's like are you familiar with Donald Miller and story brand? Yeah. Building a story brand and, you know, the big takeaway from that one is, and we do this all the time in our marketing business talking to companies about their story. And it's, the core the core message from Miller is it's not about you as a company. Right?
Peter:It's it's you're not the hero in the story, I guess. Yeah. It's your your client, your customer, the person you're interacting with is is the hero. And if you use cues and language that is trying to position you as the hero rather than the person you're interacting with, you know, it's a great way to get, like, get shut off.
Michael:Yeah. Yeah. That's literally right. Like, there's a a part in the first chapter of my book where it's like choose comfort over confidence, And it's something like put myself at ease so I'll find social environments where I'm comfortable. I like one on one.
Michael:I like sitting at a bar and speaking to a bartender because they're paid to get to know people, and they know a lot of people. And the second part of that is putting other people at ease. And there's a great tip from Rob Robin Dreak who wrote the book, it's not it's not about me.
Peter:Oh, okay.
Michael:He was the this is a mouthful, and I'm gonna get his title wrong. He's the former counterintelligence behavioral analysis lead at the FBI. Okay. And he's a really fascinating guy, and he has a tip from, like, a book from fifteen years ago where it's like, the key to a great first interaction is to let people know that it's gonna be over really quickly. So if you go up to someone and say, like, I gotta be somewhere in two minutes, but I gotta pick up my wife in five minutes, but I gotta get my kids at school.
Michael:And Mhmm. I'm running late, but the book you're holding caught my eye. That just immediate like, you know, like, like, for me, if I'm approached on the street, like, I'm like, by like, as human beings, we're like, our guard goes straight up, and we're like, is this a threat? Like, is this person here to hurt hurt me or help me? And that little sentence of saying, like, I'm not gonna take up much of your time, immediately, you see the shoulders drop.
Michael:And that leads to a really fast positive interaction. Like, one question, be curious, follow-up a little bit. I usually drip something about myself into that, like, wife, kids. I have to get to a lecture at a university just because if you share a little bit about yourself, it helps for other people to open up.
Peter:Kinda open a little bit of a story loop is don't dwell.
Michael:Yeah. Like, I usually that's my job at university is I have students from last class was 50 students from 38 countries, and a lot of them are from, like, Beirut, Lebanon, Syria, Colombia, Bolivia. And a lot of them don't think that they have stories to sell like, to tell and that they have an uphill battle. And my like, I start my leadership of saying I grew up stuttering, and I'm scared to be talking in front of you guys. And, like, the point is not for me to stand up here and lecture you.
Michael:It's for us to uncover some of the strengths we do have that we don't see and ask them questions, dig in, and help them shape their own story.
Peter:You know, one thing I've noticed in interacting with a lot of people, and I just sort of took it for granted for a long time, and I never really heard this feedback until recently, was that some people I interact with where English is their second language, they are very self conscious about the way they may sound or the way they feel they're butchering the language. And I even have a clue that people felt that way. And I was like, wow. That is interesting feedback. So I need to take especially if I'm dealing with a client that maybe is, you know, English as a second language because I'm not speaking their native language.
Peter:Right?
Michael:I'm Yeah.
Peter:Couldn't even speak in English, or maybe some, you know, very broken Spanish or something, but that it means that I really need to make go, like, the extra effort to make them feel at ease. So, and I just discovered that recently in some interactions I had with, some people in The US that were originally from France. So
Michael:I just wrote an article on how to put people like, the leadership quality, it's not talked about a lot, but the ability to, like, immediately put people at ease for me is massive. Like and I'm in Spain, and I work in English, but, like, on the street, it's in Spanish and Catalan. Like and I have to be very cautious. Like, I'm American. I like I like like, for someone who stutters, I talk fast if I'm, like, excited about something, and I have to tone it like, immediately speak slower, shorter sentences, easier words.
Michael:And I I think that's actually, like, really helped with my writing just because I always get feedback where it's, like, massively clear for someone who's not a perfect English speaker. So it's rubbed off on me in communication ways. Like, speaking at a university with students, half of them are probably native English speakers, half of them aren't. So I have to slow my role, and and that's helped my communication skills in general just to slow down, think before I speak, how should I say this, prepare for it. I think it's a nice like, it's a nice thing.
Michael:When I see the deer in headlights of students or someone on the street, like, I'm talking way too fast, you can see it. That they're just like, uh-huh. Uh-huh. And they're thinking, I have no idea. Yeah.
Michael:It's the same with me in Spanish.
Peter:So the first part of the book, yeah, we do talk about, part one, persistently curious. I think that's, yeah, that's that's taking a genuine interest in others where they're coming from. And what's interesting is your third principle is treat your curiosity as your primary responsibility. So what do you mean by that?
Michael:So it's kind of a double edged, like, the comfort thing where it's be curious, like, in your curiosities, like, what interests you and be curious in others. So my dad actually, the day maybe ten years ago, it was a defining moment in my career. I was in Costa Rica, had problems with the lawsuit of the house problem, and my dad flew down to tell me that my mom had cancer. So he came down in person. I was like we sat up in the hotel room, like, on opposite, like, sides of the bed talking about life and what it means to leave a good one.
Michael:And he said something that shook me to my core. He said, the saddest part about getting older for me is seeing how intellectually dead some of my old friends have chosen to become. And he used the words chosen. He used, like, intellectually dead, like, petrifying. Like like, I've never heard a worse warning on how to waste your life.
Michael:Yeah. Like and that was a that sent me on a, like, a not a mission, but I'm doing work now. I'm it's like I started to write. I started to teach at universities. Like, I started to work with clients all around the the world and, like, in design, social innovation, and, like, the fields I was interested in.
Michael:So that was like, curiosity for me, it kind of all stems there for community, for connection, for like, if you need courage, conviction. It's like, what are you curious? Like, if you're not curious in the thing that you're chasing, you're not gonna push yourself. If you're not curious in front of the person you're speaking with, like, it's gonna be hard to build a connection. If you're not curious in your own interests, your day to day life, like, isn't gonna be as exciting.
Michael:So I try to map my life around the things I'm curious in. That took some time. Like, my wife and I would like we started a family, like, right when I did this change, and we weren't making any money. I was working from home watching a kid. But just kinda over time, I got lucky in the sense where I kept pushing it.
Michael:And these dominoes of the things I'm really interested in is people, is art, is making is teaching, like, all of these things I get to do now in various areas. But curiosity is just like the backbone of living. Like, life is learning. You know? So it's kind of the the foundation.
Peter:You know, it's funny you mentioned that because I need to relate a story. I I mentioned before we started the podcast that I had, had the opportunity to start a, an Internet company with another gentleman to make websites for car dealers in 1994. The way that I got into that was I was, working in, Europe, and I had a laptop. And I was looking for ways to communicate and connect while I was traveling, and I started using modems on my laptop and, like, dialing into bulletin boards and things like that. So I I kind of had this passion for communicating.
Peter:And then around 1992, 1993, Wired magazine came out and talked about and I remember seeing it on the bookshelf on the in the magazine rack, and I was like, oh my god. What is this? Grabbed it, devoured that copy, and just started learning about the Internet and just became just passionately interested in it and figured out a way to dial into our local library. They they didn't have a web. They had, like, Gopher, which was like text only.
Peter:It's like a web browser, but it's text only. Started doing that, and then the company I was working for at the time went bankrupt. So I was out of a job, and this was, like, in July or something like that. And I told my wife at the time, she was working in banking. She had a good job, and it was like and it's before we had kids.
Peter:They said, I this is what I wanna do. This is what I wanna do. I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but this is what I wanna do. And I just started reaching out, and one day an email popped into my inbox, and, somebody in Texas had sent this local car dealer my information and said, hey. This guy is in your local area.
Peter:I think he's interested in doing what you're doing. You guys should get together. Well, like, the next day, we got together and that was it. We it was like gasoline and So how we started the company. Ten months later, we sold it for a lot of money.
Peter:So but it was That's amazing. That just amazing passion that I had for that. I mean, I I had I was lucky that that I I found it, and I was able to find, you know, a way, an outlet for that passion. So Yeah. But it was and it was 100% curiosity driven.
Peter:That was That's
Michael:a miss. I love those kind of outreach messages, though, too of saying, screw it. I'm the like, just one random email, how it can shape your life. The second part of my book is, like, how I built my network from a small town in Spain by sending emails. Like and it's funny how it that stuff does.
Michael:I think with the curiosity, like, we're like, we're all curious and stuff, but the story that we tell ourselves of, like, we can't do that.
Peter:The next part too is meaningful connections. And I like your principle five, get to know your heroes. What what what what's the motivation behind that, principle?
Michael:So the chapter like, I started to write when I was 38. And a year into it, was like, I don't wanna do this alone. And I began just reaching out to other writers. And the easy step for me was a lot of writers like vegans, they'll say that they're shy. Like, you know, it's kind of a so I started with the shy ones and was like, hey.
Michael:Can like a like a very quick email, I'd leave a couple comments on their articles on Medium, or LinkedIn, and we'd get on calls. And slowly but surely, like, lot of them kept saying, it's like, well, I'm, like, working well, I'm home now. I'm lonely. So, like, I got together the initial 10 people I spoke with, and we got a little group together. We'd turn that into a mastermind group.
Michael:So it's basically every week I was sending out an email to someone who just caught my eye, who I was interested in, who like, I like the energy of the person, the story of the person. And, like, I'd have a weekly call like you're doing for a podcast, an hour conversation with somebody new. And it's amazing how those those things started to, like, attract other possibilities. Like, if I heard of a job, I'd pass it on to somebody in the group. Like, and over time, I my confidence got up, like, a little bit higher to kinda start to push who I was re reaching out to.
Michael:And so I started slow. And and, like, in over time, it's led me to working with leaders at IDEO and Apple and and a professor at Harvard. Like, all of this from writing articles and sending out, hey. I like what you're doing type emails. Or, like, the thing that worked best for me is just, like, thank you in the subject line just because a lot of inboxes are full of stuff that don't say thank you.
Michael:And then I think of, like, thanks to you doing x, I've been able to do y. Like, thanks to you like like, next thing, I've think of this differently now where I was able to pass an interview, whatever it is. Just kinda really quick in the beginning. They usually reply. I'd send them something I like that they would like, I think, also, and then, like, a couple back and forth, and we'd hop on a call.
Michael:And when I get to know other successful people, my writing partner, a guy I just helped with his book, irreplaceable, yeah, he taught starting at age 28, he took a course at Harvard. And the second day, the teacher asked him to teach the class with him on design and marketing and and branding. Like, he's just one of those guy he's one of those guys. Yeah. He gets it, and he's very he's very good.
Michael:But he started at age 14 sending handwritten letters to authors, architects, actors, musicians. And he did yeah. He does it every week. Still handwritten. Yeah.
Michael:And I like it like, I see that thread, like, a lot through the people who I work with. And a lot of people too like, I would talk myself out of not doing that thinking like, oh, I'm gonna get rejected. This person's gonna think I'm stupid. I've never once nor have I spoken with anybody who's received those types of messages, like, sat and laughed at someone for taking a chance. Like and even if you don't reply, it's because you're probably busy.
Michael:Like, you have kids. So just the realization that, yeah, it's, like, it's a great habit. You'll hone your your persuasion, your networking, your communication skills while getting to know people who you find interesting. Yeah. And that kinda and the more you speak with people Kevin, the guy I worked with, he has a great line.
Michael:He's like, some people experience all visiting the Grand Canyon or a beach in Maui. For me, it's watching ordinary people do ordinary thing. Like, just be in awe of of human beings. And it's like, the more you get to know other people from different backgrounds, from different experiences, like, the more you just realize, like, wow. Humanity is pretty incredible.
Michael:So I like to get to know your heroes. And heroes is a weird word for me, though. Like, it's not necessarily Steve Jobs. Like, heroes for me today is a single mom who's Mhmm. Surviving.
Michael:You know? Like, it changes. Like, I've gotten older where I don't want a Ferrari. I'm I'm fine with a Volkswagen. But, like, it's the same of looking at human beings of I have a friend here who took a raft from from from Africa to Europe to start a new life.
Michael:Wow. Like, you know, like, he'd like, he works at a restaurant here. You wouldn't like, you'd walk right by him. So it's just funness of being in awe and thinking people are, like, endlessly fascinating. I love that.
Michael:I love that. So you've got, principle seven. I'm just gonna
Peter:shoot through a few of the other principles here. Small is the new big. That that really, I'm interested in learning a little more about that.
Michael:Yeah. It's, right now, I I kinda feel it online too. Like, everyone's friends, but no one's connected. Yeah. So I think it's more of a like, I had mastermind groups, but it's funny that the first 10 connection well, not just, like, all the first 10, but it's like after the like, I had a group that ran up to about 50 people, and I met a lot of creators, writers, and we collaborated on things for a couple of years, but I could kind of lean towards like, it was clear that, like, I had my little group.
Michael:And
Peter:those not better.
Michael:No. Yeah. And it's kind of the day to day support, like, of having five close friends. For me, Trump's going on LinkedIn and doing a bunch of outreaches or, like, kinda comments you you feel, like, not stupid leaving, but, hey. Great job.
Michael:Just this small like, the incessant small talk. And working with five or six people, like, my career is, yeah, is like I have a couple friends, a couple clients who are my cheerleaders and my collaborators who are good at things I'm not good at. We have a lot of fun together. We fight. Like, I kind of feel like the people that you wanna work with are the ones who you can happily fight with.
Michael:And the thing is is with my collaboration friends, with the small group I do have of moving fast on books or branding projects, whatever it is, is I'm not the best starter. I'm bad at a blank page. I'm a good developer, and I have friends who are great finishers. Like, I'm bad at the final details, the tuning up. So, like, if somebody is good with getting crap on a page, I love that.
Michael:Like, give me bad stuff. Like and I'll hop in and get it moving. So it's funny. Like, just a couple people can move things, especially in today's age. You don't need a massive team.
Michael:And if you have a couple people who you really get along with like, I have friends I've never met in person. Like, we've been working together for seven years on projects ranging from, like, books to branding to to our own books and companies, And it's filling in the blind spots and the weak spots of each of us.
Peter:That's I I I love that. That's I'm gonna sign up for that. I need more of that in my life because I can I can relate to the the fact I mean, I've got a company, I've got a team, we're small, we're less than 10 people, we're really tight? We're a 100% virtual, but, you know, I could I could definitely see the possibilities there. And so I I I think that's that's good good advice, very good advice.
Peter:So I wanna move back, move down. Sorry. Port three. So so the book's kinda divided into three sections here. So that's meaningful connections.
Peter:And, obviously, it it means a lot to you, and you've definitely, you know, kinda created a little bit of a road map here. I like that.
Michael:Yeah. It's true. The thing like, I have my core, but I do like, I have my weekly phone calls with someone new. And, generally, it started as writers, and now it's anybody who I think is interesting. Like and that allows the weak tie connections to kinda play some of my best friends, we we we run-in the same circle.
Michael:So we're hearing the same ideas, the same opportunities. So my weekly calls with random people and checking in with those people once every ninety days, a hundred and eighty days of a voice message saying, hey. I was thinking about you. Those are sometimes the things that they don't know me well enough, so they they'll still refer me. So it's kind of the the thing of of having you, like, your core while learning from, like, life experiences around you.
Peter:So and then the final part of your book is you call it quiet quiet conviction, and you've got kinda your last principle here is lift as you climb. What what does that mean?
Michael:So that yeah. It's like while you're going after your own goals, look behind. So I think a lot of people look ahead of I wanna be like this person, or I want to achieve this thing out in front of me and meeting and fulfillment at work for me and for most people I know is helping the people who are a step behind you to rise above you. So you can kind of all climb, like, you lift as you're climbing up a ladder. I think, like, anything good in my life feeling like emotion at work, the stuff I remember is when somebody took an interest in me when they didn't have to.
Michael:And, like, I had a got so I started to write there's a story in the book, and I was on a secret WordPress site. Like, I didn't it's like I was too scared to share it. And I left a comment on a guy's blog in Barcelona who's kind of like the Gary Vaynerchuk in Barcelona, but very cool and not Gary van like, wears a suit. Like, he's but known. You know?
Peter:Doesn't drop as many f bombs.
Michael:That yeah. He's a like, the guy's name is Con Connor Neal, and he has a great YouTube channel on leadership communication stuff and just a really good guy. So I was leaving a comment on his blog, like and we met for breakfast, and I completely bombed it. I just had a kid. I was exhausted.
Michael:I forgot my wallet. I asked him to breakfast. I think at one point, I even said to him, like, how do you live with your wife? He told me a story about her. Just a bad day.
Michael:And I got home. My wife put my smiling baby on my lap, and I cried saying, I'm never gonna hear from that guy again. And two months later, I published something on WordPress, and he saw it. Like, and he'd left a comment. This is good.
Michael:Like, a month afterwards, this one's great. And he helped me to get that into Fast Company. And I don't know if I would have had the courage to publish, like, if he hadn't taken the time to go out of his way. He's a busy guy. So it's kind of those things where you don't know how to like, it's hard to describe the feeling of when somebody helps you who doesn't have to help you, but you feel it a lot.
Michael:Yeah? So I try to do that. Like, in my work, I'm trying to pass down. I'm trying to lift up other people, and I can get like, I'm in a position now. It's like, I can get the things I want.
Michael:Like, I don't want a crazy life. I have a nice small apartment in Spain. Like, we live light, so I'm not looking for much. And what gets me fulfillment is doing what that guy did for me.
Peter:It's nice. So we've covered a lot of ground here. I I I can't wait. I've I've gone through the book, but I I need to spend more time going through everything. I think you've written a great book here.
Peter:And, as we wrap up here, a couple questions I have for you. First of all, if if, somebody wants to, well, first of all, if somebody wants to buy the book, where do they get the book?
Michael:You can get it on any of the major retailers. It's on Amazon. It's on Barnes and Noble. So it's shy by design, 12 timeless principles to quietly stand out. My website, michaelthompson.art,likeartist.
Michael:There's a lot of Michael Thompsons in the world, so I went with the art one. That has a like, it has a book page. It has the links to five or six of the major online retailers. That's just the easiest way is Amazon, it seems. Just go to Amazon.
Peter:Is there a contact? What what sorts of engagements are you are you open to if somebody wants to connect? Is it LinkedIn, or what do you recommend for people connecting with you?
Michael:I think the easiest way is through my website or LinkedIn just because the con the the message function is the easiest. My LinkedIn I my name is not easy. So it's Michael like, it's Mike Thompson blog. So, like, linkedin.com slash Mike Thompson blog. And I'm active on Medium Substack.
Michael:My Substack is shy by design. I just started there, and I'm really enjoying it. But, generally, if you can find a book that's shy by design, there should be links to where you can find me. That isn't a website for a, like, a former Lakers basketball player or a photographer in Virginia. I should have used my middle name.
Michael:Like, looking back, I should have had everything like Michael Ryan Thompson. Or
Peter:Great. Well, I've really enjoyed this conversation, Michael, and, look forward to, following you and, digging in a lot deeper to your work. And, thank you. Thank you for joining me all the way from Spain today.
Michael:It's been a lot of fun, and enjoy your trip to Scandinavia, and I hope to be in contact sooner than later, Peter. Thank you. You. Cheers.
Peter:Thanks for listening to this episode of Biz and Life Done Well with Peter Wilson. You can subscribe to us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and most of the other popular podcast platforms. Please tell your friends about us and leave us a review so even more people will find out about us. Thanks again. We'll see you soon.