The good well done

In order to know each other well, we should eat a ton of salt!


What’s he saying?!
One day, talking to an Italian guy who’d arrived not long ago to Montreal, says:“Si dice che, per conoscersi bene, bisogna mangiare insieme un quintale di sale!”

Translated and simplified to: “It is said that, to get to know each other well, one should eat a ton of salt together.”

Initially, it really sounded a little weird. I’ve never heard that saying before.

Long after that conversation, not only was it the only thing I remembered, it just kept on resonating in my head the entire day!

Finally, trying to understand the meaning, I asked myself a few questions:

The Mediterranean Sea is rich in marine salt.

Why use salt as a substance to quantify our relationships with others?

Maybe because salt is easily measurable and also probably the prime ingredient of all our meals?!

If we take the quote literally, we should then have to calculate the amount of salt in our meals when having that meal with a person!

Whoa, that’s one heck of a math formula!

We know that we consume (or should consume) only a few grams of salt per day.

So, if this quantity linked to the time of consumption, in a way, would-it qualify the degree of knowledge that we’d have between ourselves with others?

I feel as if I just wrote a theory of quantum physics!!!
I wonder if Einstein would be proud of me?!

Sadly, eating with our feet under the table is just an activity we rarely do anymore, wouldn’t you agree?

I mean, just taking the time to sit down and have a meal with a family member living under the same roof is not easy sometimes.

Must also be why some say that we can count our true friends on the fingers of one hand!

However, even after understanding the meaning, I was astonished by the profound intelligence hidden in the simplicity of this quotation.

If we recommend eating no more than one teaspoon of salt a day, how many years would it take to reach 100 kilos?!

One hundred thousand grams divided by about 5 grams equals 20,000. Technically, that’s the equivalent of about 55 years having a meal together, everyday!

Taking you time is not in style.

Now, undoubtedly we live in an era where all the answers are at the touch of a click.

While keeping the quote in mind, could we conclude that the speed of not having to wait  for answers, might-it make us adamant towards others?

Does our patience run out too quickly?

Does our ego succeed in making us believe that our time is so precious that we can’t afford to wait for the other to reveal itself to us, with time?

In other words, when we meet a person for the first, second or sixth time, do we assume to wanting to know everything about them right away?

This said, would it be fair to assume that we do not know a person at first meetings?
Yes, absolutely!

Also, simply spending time together is not conclusive either!

We’d really have to sit at a table and take the time to have a meal together to get to know each other more profoundly.

Taking the time of a meal to know each other.

Take the time. It’s at your advantage!

During “having a meal” moment, recognize that all our senses are exploited.

Consequently, the perceived reality reaches us from everywhere and the reaction that emerges from it is more natural.

I do believe our initial quotation is still meaningful here.

Take the time of a meal to know someone, even when it’s about business!

In a newsletter I read, signed by Perry Marshall (author of the book 80/20 Sales and Marketing), he explained intriguingly and intelligently how to choose a business partner.

Would you like to know how to sniff a bad partner BEFORE he self-destructs and takes you with him?!

Well, according to his friend John Paul Mendocha, we should share at least three meals together.

Generally, people behave fairly well during a single lunch.

On the other hand, if the person is false, hypocritical, insidious or sneaky, his game will not hold.

His veneer will start to wear thin by the third meal. You’ll know.

His authentic personality will emerge.

Weren’t you really starting to connect with your spouse by the third date?

When a person is transparent, sharing a meal creates enough contact that the REAL  relationship comes out.

Dan Kennedy warns:
Pay attention to how they treat ‘the little people’ – those in low positions of power.

How do they treat the waitress?

How about the guy at the hotel desk or airline counter when the reservation gets screwed up? Do they throw a tantrum?

They’ll treat YOU the same way, I promise.

Jerk Test:

Before you enter into a long term partnership, make sure you’ve had a chance to watch how they react when something goes wrong.

Wires get crossed. Someone shows up an hour early or late. Do they start verbally abusing your staff?

Some of my friends deliberately throw wrenches into the works, just to see how the prospective employee, partner, client, consultant or investor will behave.

The laboratory of reality never lies.

Another thing, is networking really a good idea?

This also leads me to question myself about networking events.

Often, networking groups have a membership fee and some encourage recruitment in exchange for a refund in percentage on their membership price.

A good friend of mine, who attended one, clearly illustrated the idea by saying, “When you get there as a guest, you feel like a goldfish in a shark tank, because everybody wants to recruit you!”

Therefore, that kind of networking felt like a scam!

They don’t really want to know who you are or what you do, simply because the members focus mostly on their reimbursement!

However, let’s put aside the membership situation, and focus on how do we really have time to “show off”

during such events?

Wouldn’t our presence be doomed if just as it started, we’d drop a glass of wine by accident or while saying hello to everyone, a piece of salad were to be stuck in our teeth?

Talk about making a first bad impression! How do you recuperate from that, by going home and never attending again?!

On the other hand, the mission of Lady Formidables and Gentlemen networking events organized by Kathy Tropiano was interesting.

The philosophy was simple, being comfortable with others, membership worry-free!

Once a month, entrepreneurs from the well-being field shared a pleasant supper together in a restaurant. The evenings’ ice-breaker was entertained with a conference.

After an inspiring story, the rest of the evening was dedicated to sharing among entrepreneurs (networkers).

No subscriptions necessary, because the bottom line is that everyone is at ease with no pressure.

Kathy understood the concept and the networking was always a success.

At last, are you looking for a partner in love or in business?

Give-it a try to the 3 meals trick, it might just help find the pearl that will do for you!

I would still advise you to choose the restaurant, because if you realize that the person is not for you, at least you will have eaten according to your choice!

For the pleasure, not glory, Giovanna.

À propos de Giovanna Posteraro

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