7 Ways To Stand Out And Be More Interesting In 2025

These steps are about shaping the future, not rehashing the past. Turn them into habits and step fearlessly into the dynamic world ahead.

1. Get Itchy

Change is the new normal, and it’s rarely comfortable. Feeling at ease might lull you into believing its impact won’t reach you until it inevitably does.

Charles Handy, Irish author and philosopher who specialized in organizational behavior and management, shared on the Innovation Podcast hosted by Aidan McCullen, "Most individuals don't change until they have to, until they see the end and they will fail. But it's too late. You've got to change before you leave the party where the going is still good. The only way to do that is to keep itchy, itchy, thinking of new things all the time so when you get the chance you can move."

One simple way to ignite that itch is to breathe new life into what you look at every day. Is your feed helping you learn something new, and does it leave you feeling inspired and smarter?

Let your actions today and tomorrow focus on the legacy you wish to leave behind, Handy reminds us, “Your life is a very precious thing. What are you going to do with it? What are you going to leave behind?”

2. Master Future Focused Language

Own the evolving vocabulary of your industry and its intersecting fields. The workplace is evolving, and your collaborators are thrilled to share where they’re seeing results while simultaneously learning from you.

The speedy path to this mastery lies in attending events regularly, network, and pay attention to ideas shared in places like LinkedIn and on the popular platforms of your industry.

3. Hone Your Research Skills

Embrace digital tools and learn how easily you can leverage AI and glean deeper insights that others might miss.

We have never had as much information at our fingertips. Are you adept at experimenting with these tools to solve problems at work?

In her book, “ Discover Your Fair Advantage, Leverage Your Unique Selling Points and Human Potential for Work, Business and Life, ” international, award-winning Keynote speaker, Sylvie Di Giusto, says that to perform your job with excellence you must improve your ability to research, “…oftentimes decision makers cannot research and analyze every piece of information on their own, so having someone at their disposal who can do this for them is an invaluable asset.” You’re seen as outstanding in this area if you, “are skilled at collecting data and information from multiple sources, including on-line research, surveys, interviews and focus groups.”

DiGiusto further notes that a lack of research skills will, “reduce your and the overall productivity of an organization and prevent it from remaining competitive in the market.”

4. Say “Good” To Disruption

When we approach problems as catalysts for progress and innovation, opportunities to solve them become clear. A fresh perspective can be as easy as the word you use to respond to every issue.

On the Jocko Podcast , American author and retired United States Navy officer, Jocko Willnik shared that when he served as a Navy SEAL, and a subordinate came to him with a problem, he answered every one of them with one word. “When something is wrong and things are going bad, ‘Good.’ We have the opportunity to figure out a solution. If you can say the word, ‘Good’ …it means you’re still alive, it means you’re still breathing and if you’re still breathing, now you’ve got some fight left in you.”

This drives home the need to work on your reaction to something as simple as a delay and as complicated as chaos. When you simplify your reaction to things that go wrong — in a world where so much does and will - you’ll allow yourself to be a master of efficiency rather than a victim of your circumstances.

5. Upgrade Your Communication Skills With Your Significant Others

Your well-being at work starts at home. When you enhance how you connect with your loved ones, you’ll improve your emotional intelligence in every space you enter. How you show up in one area of your life reflects how you show up in all areas.

This is the goal of the work of Esther Perel, psychotherapist, New York Times bestselling author and the host of the hit podcast, “Where Should We Begin?”

In her blog “ Six Essential Practices to Improve Listening Skills in Relationships,” Perel suggests that couples, “Ask new questions about old stories.” She further proposes that spouses take what they know to be true about these stories and, “Ask each other to retell an old story from a different point of view and consider how would a stranger in the background tell the story?”

Improve communication in your relationships and uncover a much more interesting version of yourself.

6. Read Boldly Every Day

Discover ideas and perspectives that reshape how you approach your work, and your understanding of trends and data to support the solutions you’re leading.

In his evergreen classic, “Time Really is Money, How to Work for $5,000 Per Hour,” author, investment banker and business owner, Rob Slee shared an interview he had with David McCullough, Pulitzer Prize winner of numerous titles including “1776,” “John Adams” and “Truman.” Slee asked what characteristic separated our Founding Fathers from today’s leader. “He greatly surprised me when he said, ‘The Founding Fathers were all prolific readers. We are what we read.”

In 2025 there are immeasurable ways for you to enrich your reading list one small step at a time by listening to audiobooks as well as reading hardcovers. It’s also a great practice to add newsletters to your morning email that further your education around what’s important to you.

Armed with what you glean from these sources you’ll improve your comprehensive worldview. Slee says, “A comprehensive worldview is the belief system that shapes and guides our point of view.”

7. Cultivate Fulfillment In Your Thoughts And Words

The words we speak to ourselves can never be underestimated.

Make the very first thoughts and words you think and say in the morning be of what you wish to amplify in the world, not what you aim to avoid.

Disrupt the chaos in your life and fight back with these words you intentionally foster.

Learn to cultivate fulfillment and you’ll undoubtedly expand your capacity to lead through change in today and tomorrow.

The Bottom Line

In 2025, being interesting means more than adapting to change, it’s about leading it.

Embrace curiosity, challenge conventional thinking, and deepen your understanding of the world around you. Sharpen your focus, enhance your connections, and turn disruption into a catalyst for growth.

By continuously expanding your knowledge and refining your approach, you’ll stay ahead of the curve. Seek fulfillment in what truly matters, and don’t hesitate to ask for guidance. Your journey toward irreplaceability starts with small, intentional actions today.

You’ll shape a future as dynamic and interesting as you are.

By Jeanne M. Stafford, Contributor