How are you? That's a loaded question, and I'll tell you why:
60% of the people that ask that question don't care how you're doing. They're just making small talk;
30% of the people that ask that question hope you're doing badly, because their life is a shambles, and we all know misery loves company;
10% of the people you talk to genuinely care how you're doing, and will ask a follow-up question or two.
OK, so 1 in 10 people care about how you're doing. That's pretty sad, when you really think about it. So why not respond in a way that benefits you. That's right, in a way that benefits you. Answer as though you are doing great. My friend Johann Stoessel responds to the "How are you doing?" question like this: "Just this side of perfect, and getting better all the time!" Wow! What a first impression, and what a way to make yourself feel better. Like I said, only 1 in 10 cares about you, however I'd bet that every person Johann responds to remembers his response, or at the very least hopes that they can somehow capture some of his magic and will spend more time talking to him. At least I know that's what I did.
So why not just say "I'm fine. How are you?" when people ask how you're doing? Simple, really. Because how you say you are is how you are. Let me say that again: How you say you are is how you are. If you say you're great, you're great. If you say you're crappy, you're crappy. If you say you're fine, you're fine. Plain old vanilla fine. Who wants to be fine? I say I'm great, so I am great. It's mind over matter, if you don't mind, it doesn't matter.
And with that, I challenge you to make it a great day! Take charge of your life, say you're doing great, and you will be. After all, it's all up to you!
Disclaimer: The above are my statistics based on the people I've talked to. Your results may vary, and past performance is no indication of future results.
Phil Gerbyshak leads a team of IT help desk professionals in Milwaukee, WI, and finds that sharing his knowledge is a crucial component in his success as a leader and as a person. Phil's personal philosophy is paraphrased from Tim Sanders' fantastic book Love is the Killer App: "Share your knowledge, your network, and your love. The rest will follow." For more musings by Phil, please go to http://makeitgreat.blogspot.com.