We’ve all had conversations that feel forced, boring, or filled with awkward silences.

So, do you like country music?

Yeah.

Cool.

So today I’m going to go over five steps to make small talk with anyone.

We’ll do this by breaking down some tricks Joe Rogan uses on his podcast to connect with everyone—from academics to athletes to celebrities. Some of these tricks will be mindsets, and others will be word-for-word questions you can use.

These habits are a big reason why so many of Joe’s conversations end like:

I love you. I love you. Thank you, buddy. Thank you. It was a lot of fun. This was great. I really enjoyed this. Thanks, man, I always appreciate you.

Start with a Compliment

Most people have their guard up when they first meet you. They aren’t sure if you’ll be competitive or try to put them down.

Joe “greases the wheels” early by giving a compliment. This isn’t required, but it sets a positive tone.

Here are three easy types of compliments to use:

1. Their Work: “Thank you very much for being here. I’m a really big fan, so this is an honor.”

2. Their Energy: “I love being around people like you. You’re going for it all the time, and it’s infectious.”

3. A Platonic Physical Compliment: “Nice to meet you. Congrats on the mustache—it’s got that anarchist Guy Fawkes vibe.”

Avoid these mistakes when complimenting:

1. Making it too sexual.

2. Giving a compliment you don’t mean (you’ll seem manipulative).

3. Dwelling too long on the compliment, especially with high-status people. Transition quickly to avoid awkwardness.

Use “Reminds Me Of” to Transition

Transitioning from introductions into interesting conversations is tough. Joe often uses lateral thinking by asking:

“What does this remind me of?”

Example:

Joe compliments Josh Barnett’s beard: “How long have you been growing that?”

Josh responds, and Joe comments on his own hair: “Probably 35, I started growing serious back hair.

Then, Joe transitions to wrestlers: “Who’s that Russian wrestler? Victor Zangief?”

Now while writing it, it seems a bit weird. But if you watch the clip you get it…

Instead of thinking linearly, Joe uses this lateral approach to expand the conversation naturally.

Ping for Mutual Interests

Joe often brings up topics he’s interested in, like DMT, to see if his guest resonates.

(DMT (dimethyltryptamine) is a powerful psychedelic compound that induces intense, short-lived hallucinations and is often referred to as the “spirit molecule” for its profound, otherworldly experiences. - ChatGPT)

Example:

Guest: I’m from Wilmington, Delaware.

Most people: Oh, what’s it like there?

Joe: Why do you live in Delaware? What’s that about?

By asking “why” questions, Joe gets people talking about what they value, like family, work, or passions.

Great conversation tree:

1. What do you do?

2. Do you like it?

If yes: Why?

If no: What would you do with $100 million instead?

Ask Fun, Hypothetical Questions

For people who don’t have much to share, fun questions work wonders.

Examples:

• If you had a magic wand, what would you do to fix this?

• If you were king of the world, what would be your first decree?

• Let’s say you become president—what’s your first big move?

These remove the “realistic” constraint, opening the door to engaging, creative answers.

Be a Great Listener

Joe connects with people while listening through two key habits:

1. Laughing Easily:

   1. Laughing makes conversations more enjoyable.

      For example:

      Elon Musk on selling flamethrowers:

      How many did you make?

      20,000.

      And they’re all gone? (Joe laughs.)

   2. Watch something funny before going out to prime yourself to laugh more naturally.

2. Mirroring (my favourite technique):

   Repeat the last 1-3 words the person says to make them feel heard.

   Example with Jordan Peterson:

   What do you call him?

   Prime Minister Trudeau.

   The Castro lover.

   The Castro lover?

   …

While mirroring builds rapport, don’t mimic everything.

Stay True to Yourself

Joe’s confidence comes from being authentic. Whether he’s chatting with Jordan Peterson or Elon Musk, he doesn’t change who he is. Try to be generally interested in the person and a good conversation will come automatically…

Cheers

Jonas