Listeners' Toolbox: How are you doing?

I frequently ask people, "How are you doing?"

They frequently answer, "I'm hanging in there."

I frequently send the conversation in a new direction by responding with, "What are you hanging on to?"

The conversations that follows is usually slower, more meaningful, and interesting.

By discovering what people are "hanging on to," you will begin to have a grid from which to understand their world. Wow. Is this exciting!