One habit I’ve tried to break since I became aware of it is saying things simply because it’s the appropriate for an exchange (e.g., “Hey, it’s great seeing you! We should get together some time!”). Many people do this, and that’s the very reason we should not.

When you consistently follow up on the things you pledge to do, it has two chief benefits: first, people will come to respect what you’re saying because your word (in their mind) is associated with action. Second, it forces you to be present and aware during exchanges instead of spouting off whatever is expected or commonplace.

Neil Strauss (one of my favorite marketers) wrote about a similar topic recently on a newsletter blast in the context of keeping friends, but I think the mindset is of course broadly applicable and increases the meaningfulness of our interactions across the board.