In my experience, having had intimate relationships with literally 100’s of people throughout the US and world solely online via MyBodyTutor and my blogs, and then meeting some of these people offline, we’re all very different offline compared to how we are online.
In what is by far the most interesting piece on MBT, Julia, a client (and blogger for the Huffington Post) writes about her experience of meeting yours truly in person.
Thankfully, I didn’t disappoint. (At least, I hope not.) You can read the story by clicking here.
As our world is rapidly moving online, we’re getting to know people via their written words as opposed to their spoken ones.
I’m certain we’re all braver, tougher, more open, and honest online. And that’s exactly why I started MBT. It’s way more effective (and interesting) to help people understand why their behaviors are a certain way. And in order to help my clients change their behaviors for the long term, I need them to be as honest and open as possible.
In an early interview (unfortunately, it’s no longer online) a journalist asked me if I thought the fact that I don’t meet my clients was a disadvantage. Back then, and to this day, I know it’s a huge advantage.
I remember in college having many intimate conversations with friends via Instant Messenger. It was stream of consciousness. There was no censoring of our selves. We just typed what we felt instantly without over thinking it, or even thinking it!
Then, of course, when we’d hang out in real life it was always enjoyable but it was hard to recreate that intensity. There’s just another layer.
The best public speakers I know are exactly the same when I talk to them in person one on one as they are when speaking in front of 500 people. For most of us, something happens when we’re in front of a large group. It’s those that are able to prevent that self-censoring so to speak who are the best public speakers.
After emailing back and forth with my favorite author/entrepreneur for a while we finally met. I’m grateful that he’s now one of my mentors. But you know what he said to me the first time we met? “Adam, I thought you’d be taller!” Ha! Incredible. Apparently, that was a big compliment.
It’s an interesting question though: Are you taller or shorter online than you are in person?