Podcast Summary: Kreatures Of Habit – “Likeability Isn’t Vain—It’s Vital | Monday Moments”

Host: Michael Chernow
Release Date: September 15, 2025

Episode Overview

In this solo “Monday Moment” episode, host Michael Chernow dives into the importance of likeability, arguing that it’s not a superficial trait but a vital one for personal and professional success. Drawing from his own journey and recent reflections, Michael discusses how being likable impacts our relationships, opportunities, and the overall quality of life. He invites listeners to examine their own likability and offers encouragement—and practical suggestions—to anyone aiming to become more likable.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Likeability

Michael underscores that likeability isn’t just “nice to have” – it’s a crucial component of success.
- “Being likable is, in my opinion, so important. It is so important in life. ...being likable also makes life for those around you better.” (00:00)
Likable people tend to foster positivity, optimism, and good energy, which makes life "just more fun" and positively affects everyone around them.

2. Likeability vs. Skills & Performance

Working and spending time with likable people often takes precedence over working with the most talented or high-performing individuals.
- "I personally choose to work with people I like more than people that are the highest performing." (01:48)
Michael argues this isn’t just his perspective; he believes many others operate this way as well.

3. Self-Awareness & Change

The host emphasizes that likeability isn’t an innate, immutable trait—it can be cultivated.
- “With a focus on self-awareness, people that are not likable can change. I've seen it happen, for sure, 100%.” (02:25)
Becoming more likable often involves:
- Pausing before speaking.
- Filtering thoughts and words to avoid offending others.
- Upping one's "self-awareness barometer."
- Thinking about how communications are received, not just what is intended.

4. The Ripple Effect of Being Likable

Michael points out the practical benefits beyond social enjoyment:
- More friends.
- Better family and work relationships.
- More positive, less stressful experiences.
- Enhanced business and collaboration opportunities.
“Your experiences in life are going to be more positive and optimistic. You probably won't worry as much as, or stress out as much as people that are unlikable do.” (03:04)

5. Challenging the Unlikable Listener

For listeners who recognize themselves as "not so likable," Michael encourages honest self-reflection and openness to change.
- “If the person listening that knows that they're unlikable has stayed on for this long, you can change that. All you gotta do is pause a little bit more, turn the volume up on your self awareness barometer just a little bit more...” (05:05)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Likeability as Currency:
“Chances are you are leaving money on the table [if you’re unlikable].” (02:10)
On Choosing Collaborators:
“Whether their skill set is extraordinary or not, I tend to think of the people that I like most first.” (01:44)
On Change:
“With a focus on self-awareness, people that are not likable can change. I've seen it happen for sure, 100%.” (02:25)
On Expressing Yourself:
“Maybe there's a better way for me to explain or express how I am thinking... so that people will like me more.” (04:08)
On Mafia Metaphor:
“Don't get whacked, y'all—be the unwackable.” (04:30)
- Michael uses this tongue-in-cheek moment to illustrate that harming likable people is fundamentally difficult—even in extreme, fictional circumstances.

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:00 | Importance of likeability and its impact on fun, positivity, and relationships
01:44 | Choosing likable people over highly skilled but unlikable collaborators
02:10 | Unlikable people potentially missing out on opportunities (“leaving money on the table”)
02:25 | Self-awareness as the key to becoming more likable
03:04 | Direct benefits of being likable on life, stress, and relationships
04:08 | Adjusting communication to be received in a more likable way
04:30 | Mafia metaphor for likability (“Don’t get whacked, be the unwackable”)
05:05 | Final challenge to listeners and practical steps to become more likable

Tone & Style

Michael speaks with warmth, directness, and an encouraging spirit, blending personal anecdotes, humor, and motivational advice. He leverages relatable metaphors and maintains an optimistic, supportive tone throughout.

Takeaway

Likeability isn’t vain; it’s vital: It enriches your life, relationships, and career. By cultivating greater self-awareness and actively considering how we come across to others, we can all become a little more likable—and “be the unwackable.”

Transcript

Michael Chernow (0:00)

Being likable is, in my opinion, so important. It is so important in life. You get not only is life just more fun because typically people that are likable really do prioritize fun and good energy and positivity and optimism. But being likable also makes life for those around you better.

Michael Chernow (0:33)

What's going on? Podcast Family My name is Michael Chernow and this is the Creatures of Habit podcast. Our habits will make us or they will break us. I've lived on both sides of the tracks and have experienced some of the best and the worst that habits have in store. The decisions we make on a consistent basis truly define who we are as human beings. This episode will be a solo episode where traditionally I interview guests. This is a solo episode where I share with you guys experiences that I've had, things that are relevant in my life today that I think could potentially be interesting for you to hear, things that I simply just want to share or quotes or activities that I've done over the last few weeks that have inspired me. So sit back, relax and get out.

Michael Chernow (1:27)

Your pen and paper because what you.

Michael Chernow (1:28)

Hear in this podcast could potentially make.

Michael Chernow (1:31)

Some big changes in your life. Let's go. What's up, ladies, gentlemen, boys and girls, people of all ages, shapes, sizes and ethnicities. I hope everybody is well. Monday moment. It's another Monday moment and I want to talk today about being likable. My good friend Jen Cohen is a podcaster, an entrepreneur, she's a keynote speaker. She's like a sister. Even though we haven't spoken in a couple of months. Jen, what the hell? But Jen has spent a lot of time over the last year focusing on this idea of being likable. And I could kind of say that being likable, I'm a self proclaimed likable person. But being likable has been a massive component of my success journey. It's not something that I necessarily try to be likable. I think some people just are likable and some people are unfortunately just not likable. If you fall into the not likable camp, you probably know it. And here's what I'll say when I am thinking about who I want to do business with, who I'd like to collaborate with, who I want to go out for dinner with or hang out with. I tend to think of the people that I like most first, whether their skill set is extraordinary or not. I personally choose to work with people I like more than people that are the highest performing. And I honestly believe now I could be wrong But I honestly believe that a lot of people think that way. So if you have been told that you are an asshole, chances are you are leaving money on the table. And I do believe that with a focus on self awareness, people that are not likable can change. I've seen it happen for sure, 100%. Being likable is, in my opinion, so important. It is so important in life. You get. Not only is life just more fun because typically people that are likable really do prioritize fun and good energy and positivity and optimism. But being likable also makes life for those around you better. And a direct byproduct of the lives of people around you being better is that your life is better if you want to really dive into it. I know Jen Cohen has done a TED talk on this and I'm sure that there's a handful of people that are listening to this podcast that are saying, oh, whatever, like, you know, if you, you could be likable and not perform well and nobody's going to want to work with you. And that might be true, but I really do believe in this idea that being likable is a better way to live your life. It's just a better way to live your life. You're going to have more friends, your family, relationships are going to be better. Typically you're going to be able to work with more people in business. Your experiences in life are going to be more positive and optimistic. You probably won't worry as much as, or stress out as much as people that are unlikable do. So I just put this out there to potentially all these podcasts are there to make us think, right? Every podcast I listen to, the podcast that I've been listening to a lot, which I really do love, and I think he's really smart and I think he brings on great guests. Is Chris Williamson. I just listened to an unbelievable podcast with him and they're all there to make us think. They're all there to provoke some sort of feeling, emotion, potentially proposed a different way of looking at things. And that's what I'm doing here. I'm hoping that this podcast maybe hits someone that's listening and says, you know what, maybe I could be a little bit more likable. Maybe I need to turn the self awareness barometer up a bit to think about what I say before I say it. Because even though it's a feeling or an emotion or a thought that I have, it might not be received well from others. And whether or not I'M right or wrong. Maybe there's a better way for me to explain or express how I am thinking or that thought that I just had so that people will like me more. It's very, very difficult to want to like, steal from someone you like a lot. It's very, very difficult to want to harm someone you like a lot. I think one of the hardest things about like being in the mafia, right, is sometimes those guys are like required to whack their best friends. I promise you that that's not even an easy thing to do. I mean, I don't know firsthand, but I would only imagine that that would suck a lot easier to whack someone that you don't like. So don't get whacked, y' all be the unwackable I hope you guys have an unbelievable week. I hope this put a little bit of a smile on your face and if the person listening that knows that they're unlikable has stayed on for this long, you can change that. All you gotta do is pause a little bit more, turn the volume up on your self awareness barometer just a little bit more so that the things that come out of your mouth have been put through a little bit of a filter so that the other people that are receiving them aren't offended. I appreciate you guys share this podcast. Post it on your social media accounts. A five star rating and review would be unbelievably helpful. I love seeing those. And yeah, keep crushing until the next one. Peace.