How does the old saying go, “You’ll catch more bees with honey than with vinegar?” Or something like that. The point is, no matter what we might think is ‘good’ for someone else, they need to believe it or it will never happen. Outdoor enthusiasts from all over chimed in to share some of the tips they use for convincing the ‘allergic-to-the-outdoors’ types to venture out.
Be Specific About the Details
They all sound like brilliant people, so I’m confident they’ll be impressed with your thoughtful approach to getting them out in the sunshine.
1.) Be specific about what you want them to do. Don’t just say we’re going on an adventure or doing something outdoorsy.
- Where are you going?
- What are you doing?
- What time frame will it take place in? (e.g., can they bring their dog, will they need to get anything specific?)
- Who else will be coming along, and what’s the seating arrangement when they arrive?
2.) Bring sample pictures from Google Images so they can be more interested in the outdoor activity you are planning.
Erik Pham
Erik Pham wants to help people by making common and uncommon information about health readily available to the public. He created the website HealthCanal, and he hopes that people can live healthier and better lives when reading his articles.
Talk Up the Positives
One of the biggest mistakes health enthusiasts do when inviting someone out is [when they] sound like they’re better than other people. They could say hurtful words like, “You’re getting a little bit of chub their love, you might want to join me on my workout session and burn that fat away.”
Although you’re technically helping them, you’re also making them feel bad about themselves and they’ll hate you for it. Instead, you could go for a more positive approach and even be a bit more vulnerable about it.
A good example of this would be, “Hey, I think we should go hiking this weekend. I could use some fresh air and it could be a good way for us to spend some time together considering we’ve been busy with work these past few weeks.”
Being nice and showing vulnerability to your family or friends who need a bit of exercise is very effective. You aren’t being a prick and it will most likely be fun considering you’re there to have some quality time together.
Look, Everybody’s Doing It!
To motivate people, you have to focus on what they value most in life. Some people may not care that hiking or some activity will make them feel better or get them in shape. As frustrating as it is, nowadays social media is valued highly by many people, so showing them a view or photo opportunity they could post on social media could be enough of a motivation to get that person up and moving. The hope is that once the person is participating, they’ll enjoy the activity enough that the other typical motivations for doing it (such as getting in shape) will take over and become dominant.
One other important note is that if you can garner some interest from the person for the activity, you have to make the barrier of entry as small as possible. This could be as simple as organizing the entire hike and being willing to drive to the spot. Whatever requires the least amount of effort by the other person is key to get them out there the first time.
Eboni Moss
Eboni Moss, Founder of The Adrenaline Enthusiast, is a recovering CPA who loves traveling and spending time outdoors.
Add Some Enticements
To ensure that an invite to join me outdoors doesn’t make me sound like a prick, I wouldn’t frame it around their physical and mental well-being initially. This could make some people defensive before you even get to the fun part of the ask. Instead, I would take one of two approaches, or even combine the two.
My first invitation would make it a series of events that includes an outdoor activity, like hiking, biking, or kayaking, followed by lunch. This way if being outdoors isn’t their preference, they have something more in line with their liking to look forward to afterward.
My second approach would be to invite them to outdoor activities or places that neither of us has experienced or visited so that it gives the novelty feel of trying something new in their backyard. Again, combining these two approaches could make the invitation that much more enticing.
In either of those scenarios, making it a group event with other family members and friends could pique their interest more and remove any fear of the invite being received the wrong way. To take it a step further, once the first outing goes well, I would then ask if they wanted to make it a monthly or quarterly gathering that we all could look forward to. Which in turn, having something to like that to look forward to is a great tool that I’ve used to help work through things and boost my mental well-being.
Set the Scene
I use this way to ask them for a new outdoor activity that we didn’t try before or something that we don’t do a lot:
I usually start by planning to watch a movie about [the activity], fishing for example. If it’s not available, I use YouTube videos or Facebook videos. Then, I mention some advantages of this outdoor activity and relate it to my family and what we can learn from it. Most of the time, they will ask you to do it. If they don’t, you can ask them by saying, “We should try it” or something like that.
Grant Draper
Grant Draper, Owner of SkiSurfWake. Grant’s a resident gear and adrenaline junkie over at Skisurfwake.com.
First, Show Them How
Outdoor activities are not for everyone. The best approach to inspire them, in my opinion, is to show them how you do it. Invite them to come and watch since some individuals will not be motivated to accomplish something unless they see it firsthand. They may be persuaded to do it if they see how much fun you have doing it. However, assure their safety on their initial attempt so they don’t become traumatized.
Brian Conghalie
Brian Conghalie is an avid hiker, backpacker, and geologist who has hiked (and mapped) through 27 states and four continents. He runs the outdoor adventure site My Open Country, where he offers advice & guidance with a touch of humor.
Offer Something They Love in Return for A Little Effort
It could be an out-of-the-way restaurant or cafe at the end of a countryside walk. A bottle of wine over a lakeside sunset. A sporting or cultural event taking place that involves a walk.
The key is to not make it all sound too strenuous and to combine the “getting outside” bit with something that will interest them and make the effort seem worthwhile. To make it fun and enjoyable from their perspective, not just from the outdoor enthusiast’s view.
To an outdoorsy type just being out there is enough, the destination is unimportant. For the layman, the end has to justify the means!
Encourage, Don’t Force
Maintain a dual viewpoint.
Please don’t presume that everyone shares your hobbies; ask them to do something you believe would be enjoyable. Also, learn about their interests and encourage them to do something you both love. You’ll be more likely to obtain a yes if you keep this dual perspective.
Begin with minor activities.
People are more inclined to accept an offer that needs only a small amount of time and effort. So, rather than inviting someone to a multi-hour event, I suggest meeting up at the gym for a session or drinks after work.
This is a crowdsourced article. Contributors are not necessarily affiliated with this website and their statements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this website, other people, businesses, or other contributors.
