"Be the reason resolutioners choose to stay!"

spartan_d

It's that time of year again. I keep seeing people say "Make friends with the new year's resolutioners! Be the reason that they choose to stay!" I know their intentions are good, but I find this advice to be annoying.

I would never pressure another gym member into trying to make friends with anyone at the gym. If they just want to focus on their workout, that's perfectly fine.

Also, I know when people quit, it isn't because they didn't make friends at the gym. (What is it, a social club?) No, it's because they weren't very determined to begin with.

Besides, that's actually a good way to make people feel uncomfortable. Friendships can develop naturally, sure, but many beginners are already uneasy. They might feel more uncomfortable if they sense that someone is going out of their way to be their friend. Just let the conversations happen and if a friendship happens, that's fine.