Conversing to learn, not impress.

Each person has many gifts, interests, opinions.  Each person can teach me many things, sometimes directly, by news or instruction; sometimes indirectly, by what I can infer from his or her experiences and views.  If, in conversation and in relationship, I seek to discover those gifts, interests, and opinions; if I seek to learn from the person I'm with; I never lack for topics of conversation.  Bonus: being interested in the other, and particularly in learning from him or her, usually makes me seem more interesting than when I am passive, let alone when I seek to reinforce my perception of my importance.