I’ve now completed 11 months of the Talk2MorePeople Project. This has involved meeting at least 1 new stranger a day every day. There is one month left. Join me for the final 30 days of Talk2MorePeople to bring new opportunities, experiences and people into your life. It starts this TUESDAY, April 14th.
Would you like some help meeting new people? If so, follow this link and go through the labyrinth of a “double opt-in” to receive your
Tony Esteves is an international speaker, MC, facilitator and performer who brings play back into the workplace. He is a published author, a 360 videographer and a performer with Le Cirque de la Nuit – a Calgary based circus. Tony is currently working on his 1 year social experiment called, Talk2MorePeople. This project aims to illustrate and prove the value of meeting new people. Here is an article from CBC Radio about the project.
Connect with Tony for a meaningful face-to-face conversation.
www.iOnTheBall.ca Talk2MorePeople Day 315 of 365 “Hey. Have you got any rolling papers?”
This question from a stranger started my direction tonight. “No. I’m afraid I don’t have any.”I replied. “But maybe I can find you some”. So I headed into the Midtown Restaurant.
There I spoke to the bartender, Richie who I encountered in the early days of this challenge, and asked him if he had some papers. He didn’t. But then some people at the bar told me they could find me some papers. I told them that it was really not that important and not to worry about it.
But one fellow, insisted. He actually ran home to get rolling papers and came back with some.
During this time I spoke with another man who very openly shared some positive news about his physical well-being. For months he had been getting told that he had cancer, and today he found out that in fact he did not! So he was out having a few beers.
Once the running man returned with these rolling papers I did go back down the street to see if the guy who asked for some was still there but he wasn’t. The whole sequence of tonight’s events brought laughter and joy to me. This was such an unexpected way to spend almost an hour with a couple of new people.
There are 50 days left in this 365 day challenge. Let’s see who else I can meet. What do you think? Are you ready to try some of this yourself?
Talk2MorePeople
Tony Esteves is an international speaker, MC, facilitator and performer who brings play back into the workplace. He is a published author, a 360 videographer and a performer with Le Cirque de la Nuit – a Calgary based circus. Tony is currently working on his 1 year social experiment called, Talk2MorePeople. This project aims to illustrate and prove the value of meeting new people.
Through talking with Shelby, Mark, and Cale I received a $15 birthday voucher at Lake Louise. This came just from joking around in line. This is further evidence that it literally pays to Talk2MorePeople. Thank you Mark, Shelby and Cale for the excellent customer service.
Later in the day, I took a picture with Robert’s telephone about 30 minutes before meeting him for the first time.
At the top of the Larch chair today I found an iPhone in the snow. I picked it up and asked the skier’s who were close to me if anybody had lost a phone and everybody said no. We did a run and ended up at the lodge for a short break. Before I could speak to someone who works there, remarkably, my friends had found the owner.
This of course gave me the opportunity to meet Robert. He was thrilled to have his phone back as he told me that he was on a “Snow Safari”. It turns out that Roger is a golf pro and he was very happy to see his phone again.
When we discussed the importance of talking to strangers, he commented “Hey that’s the best way to get work. You need to talk to people!”
When I randomly bumped into him again several hours later in line for coffee, he said, “I used to be really shy, but knowing that I needed to meet more people helped me become more comfortable with this”.
I wish you a safe journey on the remaining days of your snow safari. It was great to meet you today Robert Mercer Deruntz.
Tony Esteves is an international speaker, MC, facilitator and performer who brings play back into the workplace. He is a published author, a 360 videographer and a performer with Le Cirque de la Nuit – a Calgary based circus. Tony is currently working on his 1 year social experiment called, Talk2MorePeople. This project aims to illustrate and prove the value of meeting new people. Here is what CBC Radio is saying:
On this snowy February evening I spoke with 3 new people. One of them said hello to me with a compliment. I still maintain that this is one of the best and easiest ways to start a conversation with someone. The other two gentlemen were security guards at the Scotia Centre here in Calgary. We spoke about how more people seek shelter inside when the weather is so cold and that it’s tough to kick them out.
I was pleased to learn that for the most part, the homeless people who these fellows deal with are very respectful and don’t cause problems.
It’s amazing what you can learn by talking to strangers. The insights and different perspectives from talking to people who you might otherwise never come into contact with will enrich your life. It just makes sense: broader ideas = broader perspective = a better world.
Take the 30 day challenge of meeting 1 new person a day for a month and see how your life improves.
Tony Esteves is an international speaker, MC, facilitator and performer who brings play back into the workplace. He is a published author, a 360 videographer and a performer with Le Cirque de la Nuit – a Calgary based circus. Tony is currently working on his 1 year social experiment called, Talk2MorePeople. This project aims to illustrate and prove the value of meeting new people. Here is what CBC Radio is saying
Connect with Tony for a meaningful face-to-face conversation.
The Talk2MorePeople Project continues. Here is a look at the encounters on Day 292 in Calgary, Canada.
T2MP Day 292 Part 1. “Don’t take any time for granted”.
I wandered into the Hyatt hotel and in their hotel bar I approached the staff to ask them this question, “I was wondering if either of you could share any useful knowledge with me at all that has anything to do with life”. They kind of laughed as this is obviously a strange request and this is what Richelle had to say.
“Don’t take any time for granted. None at all. That’s my motto”.
Thank you for that message Richelle.
T2MP Day 292 Part 2.
Tonight at the Sunday Night Music Social I met Susan. This woman in her 50s is absolutely full of life. Just from the get go of our conversation she started speaking about how she feels so lucky to be alive and so thankful for so many things. She was bubbling with excitement. It was wonderful to see.
She came with her niece Alecia to the event tonight. And was understandably very impressed with the musical talent that we enjoyed.
Susan has suffered some recent tragedies in her life yet she views them as gifts and I have never seen such optimism and joy in someone who has just gone through such great loss.
On a night when earlier I had been feeling pretty terrible, I am sure I was meant to hear these words from her. Our exchange lasted only a few moments but boy did they have an impact on me. She shifted me instantly out of my toxic mindset and into one of appreciation, openness and gratitude. This set me up perfectly to enjoy a beautiful evening of live music. (Check out the video with live music below).
T2MP Part 3.
On this evening I was taking the train home from the event. I was listening to some music and reflecting on the beautiful evening that it turned out to be. A homeless man who I am familiar with – because I see him often in my neighbourhood holding the gates at the train station and who I have conversed with multiple times – got on the train. He got on at City Hall station. I took my headphones out. Not because I planned on striking up a conversation but just to be more present.
At 1st St. SW Station, a fairly intoxicated young guy got on and started talking to me. He was very friendly and told me that he was on his way home from a staff party. His name was Dallas. He asked me what instrument I play and I told him that I play little guitar but I preferred to sing. He said, “I want to sing right now!”, so I said, “Start singing!” and he did. While this was happening, the homeless man hunched over started falling asleep in his seat.
As Dallas and I talked a little bit while he played some air guitar and did some singing, I felt compelled to take out some money for this homeless man. I thought about how many gifts I had received tonight from music, support and conversation from a number of people. I thought it only would be a correct exchange for me to offer something to this person in need.
I don’t have a lot of $20 bills to spare but that’s what I had in my wallet and so I gave it to him. As I was getting off the train I woke him up and said, “Hey excuse me, you dropped this”. He looked up and smiled and thanked me repeatedly. I said, “God bless. A number of people were very good to me tonight, so I just wanted to pass it on”.
We both got off the train at Sunnyside station and as he got off he said, “Thank you brother. I will pass it on too”.
This felt, REALLY good. On a day when I actually felt like sh!t most of the day and worried that I would not be able to accomplish my encounter for this challenge the above things unfolded.
This is a beautiful and mysterious life we live.
Throughout this day the people who I had the privilege of speaking with really helped me move to a much better place psychologically. I find that to be one of the greatest gifts so far along this journey.
I find it truly remarkable the gifts that we can exchange so easily through conversation with people whether we’ve known them for years, for all our lives or just a few moments. I really believe that we are given messages by these people even if sometimes it’s not what we want to hear.
So Talk2MorePeople.
Tony Esteves is an international speaker, MC, facilitator and performer who brings play back into the workplace. He is a published author, a 360 videographer and a performer with Le Cirque de la Nuit – a Calgary based circus. Tony is currently working on his 1 year social experiment called, Talk2MorePeople. This project aims to illustrate and prove the value of meeting new people. Here is what CBC Radio is saying.
Connect with Tony for a meaningful face-to-face conversation.
It’s been 200 days that I’ve been meeting new people and collecting conversations. Has it been challenging? Yes. Has it been surprising? Yes. Has it been much more work than expected? Yes. Has it been worth it? Absolutely?
This was Day 200 of my daily challenge of T2MP. On this day of the project I met several people at a gym, in the city, at the ThrillerYYC event and almost everywhere in between. www.cc4ms.ca
The conversation with Amanda Gallop in the video is about how we met over 3 years ago due to a random conversation. Not only has Amanda become a great friend and housemate, but she’s also introduced me to yoga and fitness which is literally extending my life! That’s a pretty great bonus.
Throughout this day I met several people and in the eventing I had the privilege of hosting the ThrillerYYC fundraiser as the MC. This event raised funds and awareness for cc4ms.com. This cause supports men who were childhood victims of sexual abuse. I ended up in this position because of a conversation that I had with Jeff Wilkie who I had met earlier during the Talk2MorePeople Project. It was an absolute pleasure to work with him and his team putting this event for over 500 people on.
While there I got speaking to Dee about how it’s amazing that in today’s day and age we need to teach these techniques to people around connecting. Because she feels that it’s just natural for us to want to be close to one another.
Tony Esteves is an international speaker, MC, facilitator and performer who brings play back into the workplace. He is a published author, a 360 videographer and a performer with Le Cirque de la Nuit – a Calgary based circus. Tony is currently working on his 1 year social experiment called, Talk2MorePeople. This project aims to illustrate and prove the value of meeting new people. Here is what CBC Radio is saying:
The Light The Night Walk – Talk2MorePeople Day 186
Photo by Light The Night Calgary
On my way downtown to see a show, I came across hundreds of people walking with lanterns along the Bow River tonight in Calgary. It was beautiful.
I stopped and asked Lindsey what this was all about and she explained to me that this was The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada’s “Light The Night Walk” for Calgary. This walk happens in several cities on this day in Canada and on other dates around the world.
The purpose of it is to raise awareness and funding for all types of blood cancer for the more than 110,000 Canadians affected. Lindsey works for the LLSC here in Calgary and even though shutting down a tent when we met, she took the time time to explain a great deal about the event and the organization to me. This event helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars.
If you saw one of these walks in Canada, the different colours had different meanings. Red were for supporters, white for patients and survivors were gold.
As I do a bunch of work with events both as a presenter / performer and on the logistics side, I might be able to support this organization sometime at a future event. We touched on this briefly when we met. Of course there is a chance that there may not be an opportunity to collaborate, and that’s completely fine as well. I love the fact that just a simple conversation can create that possibility. Not to mention that I got to learn about a wonderful event for a wonderful cause.
Unquestionably, it’s worthwhile to talk2morepeople. Thank you for your time this evening Lindsey. It was great to meet you.
Tony Esteves is an international speaker, facilitator and performer who brings play back into the workplace. He is a published author, a 360 videographer and a performer with Le Cirque de la Nuit – a Calgary based circus. Tony is currently working on his social experiment called, The Talk2MorePeople Project. This project aims to prove the endless value of meeting new people. In this project Tony is meeting at least one new person a day for a year to illustrate this. Connect with Tony for a meaningful face-to-face conversation.
I’ve been having some conversations with new people recently. Many conversations actually. And one of the greatest observations through this process is that there is so much potential in a face-to-face conversation whether you know the person or not.
By taking some time to create and engage in a new conversation a day for a month (or in my case for a year) you create possibilities. You create opportunities to hear about and learn new ideas. You create opportunities to learn about new jobs, people, concepts, social engagements and so many other things. Furthermore, you get to share resources and ideas of your own that can have a big impact on the person who you are meeting.
Creating these possibilities is much easier than most people think. All you really need to do, is get outside your comfort zone a little more often, and talk2morepeople. By meeting and engaging with more people, you have more chances to connect with new possibilities. It’s that simple.
On a daily basis now, I am uplifted by this challenge of meeting a new person a day for a year. While it does take time and effort to do and to document this, it no longer feels like work. This is because I have met so many wonderful people and it’s helped make me a better facilitator and person in the process. I’ve learned that for the most part people are actually quite open to having a conversation with a stranger if you approach the situation properly.
I believe that we far too often overlook the abundant potential that surrounds us on a daily basis by not connecting with the people who are close by. It takes surprisingly little effort to break the ice with a stranger and to uncover this potential. You can start with a genuine compliment, share some good news, or ask a question for example.
In this video we hit the half way mark of the Talk2MorePeople Project. It was Day 183 of T2MP and it took place in Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto.
I encourage you to build your personal and professional network by giving yourself a break from all of this technology and taking the Talk2MorePeople 30 Day Challenge. If you actually meet a new person a day for a month, I can guarantee you that new positive experiences, opportunities and people will come into your life.
Now that sounds like a pretty manageable and worthwhile thing to do doesn’t it?
Tony Esteves is an international speaker, facilitator and performer who brings play back into the workplace. He is a published author, a 360 videographer and a performer with Le Cirque de la Nuit – a Calgary based circus. Tony is currently working on his social experiment called, The Talk2MorePeople Project. This project aims to prove the endless value of meeting new people. In this project Tony is meeting at least one new person a day for a year to illustrate this. Connect with Tony for a meaningful face-to-face conversation.
It’s nice to find out just how high you can climb, isn’t it?
This was a big hike. I’d wanted to do it for more than a year. And then I did it with the help of a good friend who is also fanatical about mountains.
This was a spectacular day. I’d been meaning to hike Mt. Lougheed ever since hitting the summit of Wind Tower in 2015. Chris and I got to the top but it was a lot of work. The 1400 m elevation gain took us 7 hours to reach the summit at 3107m. This had us above 10,000 feet. I’ve only been this high a couple of times in my life while not in flight.
It was truly a spectacular and challenging day of this life.
Getting through this hike and was a reminder to me that,
“what you put your mind to, you really can accomplish”.
Take some moments to see the stunning scenes in this video. It was shot using just an iPhone SE.
Tony Esteves is an international speaker, facilitator and performer who brings play back into the workplace. He is a published author, a videographer and a performer with Le Cirque de la Nuit – a Calgary based circus. Tony is currently working on his 1 year social experiment called,Talk2MorePeople. This project aims to illustrate and prove the endless value of meeting new people. Connect with Tony for a meaningful face-to-face conversation.
These past few days have been somewhat challenging for me with the Talk2morepeople project. Of course there’s no shortage of people to meet, but somehow I seemed to have lost some enthusiasm for it. Last evening I cycled around for about an hour before I could have a conversation with people other than Pokemon Go players. That’s not to knock the millions of people who are suitably obsessed with this new augmented reality game, it’s just that when I meet players we almost always speak about the game.
Today was much better as someone approached me. I was surprised that someone stopped me to talk rather than the other way around. I’m very often the person starting conversations but because of my TEDxYYC T-shirt, Cassidy mentioned, “Hey, I like your shirt”. This led us into a conversation about TED talks and a proper conversation.
I appreciated meeting her because it was a good talk and also because it gave me an insight as to what it’s like to be approached by a stranger. I can understand how the natural instinct is to be closed and I think that has to do with the level of surprise in the interaction.
Tony Esteves is an international speaker, facilitator and performer who brings play back into the workplace. He is a published author, a 360 VR videographer and a member of Le Cirque de la Nuit – a Calgary based circus. Tony is currently working on his 1 year social experiment called,Talk2MorePeople. Connect with Tony for a meaningful face-to-face conversation.
The purpose of it is to raise awareness and funding for all types of blood cancer for the more than 110,000 Canadians affected. Lindsey works for the LLSC here in Calgary and even though shutting down a tent when we met, she took the time time to explain a great deal about the event and the organization to me. This event helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Unquestionably, it’s worthwhile to 