About this quote

The line points at how attention often follows curiosity and story, not some fixed rule about people. If you feel overlooked, start by noticing how much you share and how much you ask. Try one concrete shift: tell a short, specific moment about yourself and then ask a focused question. That small change can alter how others see you and how you see the social exchange.

When to use it

• On a first date when he keeps circling back to my childhood, I decide to ask him a sharp question about his own childhood instead of just answering.
• Updating my dating profile, I swap a generic list for one quirky detail about a trip; the messages change overnight and I remember Woolf.
• In a project meeting where my summary gets more questions than a colleague's, I highlight one decision and explain why it mattered so the team can learn.
• At a family reunion when cousins gather around my aunt for stories, I listen closely and then ask where a particular memory began.