Emulating ‘The Most Interesting Man in The World’

“You don’t have to be the most interesting man or woman in the world, but I think these commercials did do a good job of why it’s necessary in life to embrace curiosity, experience, adventures, and being charismatic.”

I am not a big fan of commercials or advertisements generally, however, if they can be humorous or insightful, such as one kind of commercial that has captivated me for years, on what it is like to be ‘the most interesting man in the world’. I have long had a soft spot for the now defunct ‘Dos Equis’ beer commercials focusing on the character of “The Most Interesting Man in The World.” These commercials were not only humorous but also served as a cheesy yet truthful take in my view regarding how to be a more well-rounded, open-minded, confident, curious, and adventurous person. You don’t have to be the most interesting man or woman in the world, but I think these commercials did do a good job of why it’s necessary in life to embrace curiosity, experience, adventures, and being charismatic.

“The police often question him because they find him interesting.” In many of the ‘Most Interesting Man in The World’ commercials, you see the character actor, Jonathan Goldsmith engaged in various activities such as climbing Mount Everest, arm-wrestling a military general, or flying a plane. The character thrives on experiencing life and all it has to offer despite the risk(s) and danger(s) involved.

Whether its fencing, sea diving, or rescuing a lion, he thrives on novelty and making the most out of what life is all about. I don’t see anything wrong with you incorporating this kind of mindset such as seeking out new hobbies or interests, traveling to unique places, and learning new things to make life more exciting and fulfilling. You don’t need to be the most interesting man or woman in the world to do that, but you do need to take action to make that happen.

“He has inside jokes with complete strangers.” Having charisma, being appealing to other people, and showing confidence in your actions will carry you far in life. What ‘The Most Interesting Man in The World’ commercials show us is that it does help to be charismatic, confident, and able to handle social situations with ease. This kind of character takes time to develop and won’t come easily, but like ‘the most interesting man’, it can pay off for you when you invest in your social life and take time to get better at building those social skills. The character in the commercial is not doing these activities alone and he is not at the bar or restaurant alone. He is self-assured, confident, telling a story, and being humorous to enhance his relationships. You should work on doing the same in terms of having those characteristics in both your personal and professional relationships. You never know when having these kinds of interpersonal skills will come in handy, but I can guarantee it will help you in life in one way or the other.

“He can speak French…in Russian.” The character himself is well versed in those activities and is knowledgeable in many fields such as learning languages, playing sports, or knowing different instruments. These commercials, while funny, do show the viewer the value of being a lifelong learner as it will make you a more well-rounded person. Being able to ride widely on different subjects, picking up new skills over the years, and engaging in a wide array of activities will make you stand out in a good way in terms of forming a holistic personality. If the character can do it, you can make it happen as well though take it one step at a time in terms of becoming a Renaissance person. You may not get there right away with being well-rounded, but years or decades of work will help you get there most often.

“People hang on his every word, even the prepositions.” The most interesting man in the world doesn’t boast and talk at length without being prompted first to share his adventures and experiences. He is intriguing because he is mysterious and saves his best stories for those, he wants to share them with. Even in these commercials, the actor has a real presence about him, partly because of his age but also because of his body language. You do not need to overshare with the average person or stranger, but you should intrigue people with your aura and your confidence. You can let someone new know a little bit about you without giving everything away. It takes time to get good at that, but you should save your best stories for your most intimate friendships or relationships. You should divulge a little bit about yourself at a time while maintaining some mystery for those people who really care to get to know you better.

“His blood smells like cologne.” When you dress well like the character does, when you have strong composure and when you carry yourself with both dignity and respect, people will treat you better and take you seriously. Remember to boost your confidence this way by paying more attention to how you present yourself, how you speak, and how you think you’re being perceived. You don’t need to be a fashion icon but like ‘the most interesting man in the world’, you have it in your power to dress well, have more refined taste, and present yourself as best as possible. Having good body language, dressing well, and being confident may not make you the ‘most interesting person’ but it will make you much more appealing and intriguing to know more about.

“Presidents take notes when he speaks.” Everything about these commercials suggest that ‘The Most Interesting Man in The World’ has a legacy worth remembering and that his persona lives on long after he’s gone. The idea of having a legacy, contributing to something bigger than yourself, and being part of a greater mission are all themes from these commercials. Being remembered well, pursuing meaningful work, helping others who are less fortunate, and making bold choices should never be shied away from. You don’t have to be a fictional commercial character to do all these things.

The overall message behind this part of the character is something that we all can relate to in our lives. We want to have a positive impact in the world and leave something good behind whether that’s a family, a garden, or a charity. Whatever legacy you intend to have, ‘The Most Interesting Man in The World’ encourages us all to life a life worth remembering and one in which we have a positive and memorable impact on the lives of other people.

At the end of the day, The Most Interesting Man in the World may be a fictional character from a beer commercial, but the essence of his magnetic and charismatic persona offers real life lessons. By embracing curiosity, confidence, and a spirit of adventure, anyone can cultivate a richer and more well-rounded life by following this example.

Whether it’s learning a new skill, traveling to unfamiliar places, or simply carrying yourself with both charisma and composure, you can become more interesting as a result, man or woman. The key to remember here is to stay open to new experiences and never stop growing as a person. You don’t have to be the most interesting person in the world or even the most likable person in the world but by following the character’s example, you just might become the most interesting person in the room and that’s a big deal. Stay curious, stay bold, and of course, stay thirsty, my friends.

My Top Five Travel Tips For 2024

“I believe it is important to have a little bit of preparedness to avoid a lot of inconvenience or pain for your next trip.”

With the COVID pandemic now in everyone’s rear view mirror, the travel bug seems to be gripping more and more people to get out there for a trip in 2024. Now, even if you’re not traveling very far or wide, I believe it is important to have a little bit of preparedness to avoid a lot of inconvenience or pain for your next trip. I travel a good amount each year and have thought of my top five tips to use for your travel in 2024 and beyond.

If you follow this list, I promise your travel will be smoother and even help you book more trips in the future. Travel is one of life’s joys, but it can also be anxious, stressful, and even overwhelming. I’ve been in your shoes before which is why I thought it was necessary to draft a list that can help you avoid most travel issues and save you some time and money.

  1. Choose not to check a bag with the airline to avoid fees / delays / missed connections.

In 2024, everything associated with travel seems to incur a hidden fee or another step, which wasn’t the case five or ten years ago. You can be charged to select a seat on the airplane, to have WIFI access, to even have a basic drink or a snack depending on the fare you buy. It can be disappointing and even hurt your experience of traveling but I’d recommend avoiding these fees if you can but especially if the airline or other travel provider charges fee(s) to check your bag or suitcase. The cost of checking one bag can range from $30-$50 for a one-way flight and if you are on a tight budget, I don’t recommend checking a bag unless you really need additional clothes or shoes or extra medicine or toiletries to take with you.

Don’t give the airlines the satisfaction of getting another $100 out of you and you can save yourself time making a flight connection or getting to your hotel or Airbnb sooner when you don’t have to go to baggage claim to pick up your suitcase. Carry-on luggage is still mainly free in 2024 and if you pack enough for 1-2 weeks, you should be fine with not checking a bag. I would only make an exception to this advice if you’re away for more than two weeks or have a work trip, which requires formal clothes and shoes. If you’re also going to experience more than two climates, especially with heavier clothing needed for your trip(s), it’s probably best to check the bag.

However, laundry and cleaning services should help prevent the need for you to check luggage and it’s good to check with your lodging as that can save you the need to check a bag if you can wash your clothes at your destination to re-wear them without having to deal with dirty clothes repeatedly. Make sure to avoid fees, delays, and missed connections by not checking your bag. You will not regret it.

2. Look into earning miles or points at a hotel chain or an airline alliance if feasible.

What’s better than traveling? Traveling for free! If you have good credit, travel a lot, and enjoy the idea of indulging more in comfort when you’re on the road, I don’t see the harm in earning miles / points / rewards if you take a lot of trips. I won’t get into specifics in terms of my recommendations but there’s plenty of good information out there on rewards programs, credit cards for airlines, hotels, and ways to get into train or airport lounges when you spend a certain amount of money.

My key point here is it’s free to sign up for mileage programs or points programs if you’re willing to give up some basic personal information. It’s a good way to gather miles or points if you stay with a certain hotel chain or travel with the same airline / SkyTeam alliance members year after year. I think it is important to have patience with this tip as it may not reward you for a while but if you keep building up your miles, points, and continue to use your membership ID or number, you will be able to earn certain upgrades, free offerings, and be able to build up your credit when you pay off your bill on time.

Instead of continuing to let these mileage or points programs go by without you being a member, it doesn’t hurt to sign up to see when you get rewards or qualify for anything back especially if these programs are free to sign up to earn the miles or points. The rewards may take some time to earn but if you have travel multiple times a year, you’ll be reaping the benefits of your membership in no time.

3. Invest in useful travel gear (AirTag, portable charger(s), noise-cancelling headphones, sleep mask, earplugs)

If you can save money in baggage or other fees imposed by airlines or other companies, it’s always a worthy investment to make your travel experience more tolerable or enjoyable by upgrading your gear. If you want to get some sleep on the plane, an eye mask may help you catch a few hours of shut eye. If you’re worried about finding an outlet to plug in your phone or computer, portable chargers that fit in your backpack or even your suitcase can help you avoid your battery shutting down by getting one before you head off on the road.

From having used it multiple times, Apple’s AirTag(s) are an excellent way to track your luggage from when you leave your place to get to your destination. No longer do you have to worry about your bag being lost in the terminal or at the connecting airport, you’ll be able to track its location, activate its location if ‘lost’, and even signal to the person who has your luggage or to personnel on who it belongs to so you can contact them or know who to get in touch with.

As eye masks are good for shutting out the light to sleep, I can’t recommend enough getting some good ear plugs not only for plane noise but also if you’re staying in a noisy city or in a noisy hotel. If you’re sensitive to noise when traveling, earplugs are easily transportable, easy to use, and can be carried on you everywhere. If you want to listen to your music or podcasts alone and hear nothing else, noise-cancelling headphones or earphones can make your journey go by faster and make it more enjoyable to listen to what you want rather than the person next to you snoring in their seat.

4. Learn about your destination(s) beforehand culture, foods, language, history

We all have busy lives, and it can be hard to read about the place(s) you’re going to. However, I highly recommend taking the time to learn at least a little about where you’re going even if it’s just the basics. You will have a much more enjoyable trip, especially if you’re going outside of your country by knowing a little bit about the people, the culture, the language, the history, and the popular foods. You’ll stand out in a good way as an educated traveler who respects the locals by putting in the time and the effort to know more about the people and the place(s) you’re visiting. It may not always be possible to know a lot, but you’d be surprised what some effort on your part can do to boost your travel experience.

In exchange, be a good Ambassador for your own city and your country. If people ask, tell them a little about you in the conversation so they think of you as less of a stranger. If you’re only learning about who they are without telling them a little about yourself in response, it can make it a bit too one-sided in terms of the experience. People are generally kind, curious, and open-minded especially if you’re able to know a little about the language and the culture before you get on the plane. It’s good to know more also about where you come from, what you like, and how to teach a little about your own language in exchange.

Travel is not just about your own benefit but also for others’ benefit as well to learn about who you are as a traveler, where you came from, what you can impart to them, and how you can mutually learn from each other on the road.

5. Be flexible with your plans and open to spontaneous adventures or experiences.

Not everything in travel must be planned down to the last minute. I do recommend that it’s best to be open to changing plans or adapting new ones as you head out on your trip. I think it’s important to generally have an idea of what you want to do on your trip, especially if you can map it out daily. However, I think planning too much by the minute or the hour can lessen the overall travel experience and make it too rigid. I’ve found that the best memories can really come to you on the trip when something unexpected happens or when you saw or did something on a whim.

I do think there’s a healthy balance of researching what you want to do, having tour(s) or experience(s) pre-planned, but also to take some time to walk around, try something new, or go somewhere that appeals to you with no planning. If you happen to meet a fellow traveler or other travelers on the road, it can be great to join them as well spontaneously to do something fun together than on your own.

You should be ready to embrace the unknown when you’re traveling and to be flexible with your plans. I find it’s best to build connections with others and do things together rather than to stick with your pre-arraigned itinerary without straying from it. Travel is about leaping into the unknown to some extent and plans should be flexible. You have to be ready for anything when you travel and to expect the unexpected. We can try to control what happens, but you got to leave room for spontaneity, change, and flexibility when you travel. Sometimes, the best experiences in travel happen to you when you least expect them and had no idea you were going to have it happen to you.

Life, like travel, is something you can try to control but it’s out of our hands a lot of times. You must embrace the unknown, enjoy it while it lasts, and be willing to experience the new things to come your way. I hope you travel far and wide in 2024 and beyond and that these five tips can help you avoid any unnecessary anxiety, stress, or additional costs / delays from what I have imparted on to you all. I’ll see you on the road and good luck with your travel plans!