Increase the size of your network
Research studies show that the number of people we interact with changes as we age.
We are likely to interact with the greatest number of people while in college or shortly thereafter. Then, as we age, the number of people we interact with will decrease.
I don’t know about you, but that’s an unsettling thought. Looking back, the best times in my life have been those shared with other people, and not just in my personal life but in my professional life, too.
When I think of the people I interact with, I don’t see them as a list of people. I see them as my own little solar system – where planets are like people. Sometimes I’m closer to them, other times I’m more distant. Sometimes I avoid them, other times I want to get closer, deliberately moving in or out of their orbit.
Some people have big solar systems. They tend to connect with people everywhere: family, friends, co-workers. And they’re consciously seeking out connections with people they haven’t met yet. They’re like magnets, like a star with a gravitational pull of people moving in and out and all around them.
Look at your universe from the 20K light-year level. You can leave it alone and watch it shrink, or you can consciously change it to your liking. If you want it to grow, here are 3 tips:
- Treat everybody you encounter as if they are the most important person in the world to you.
- Get out and interact with people. If you’re unable to see certain people because your orbits are distant, call them on the phone or plan a trip to get together.
- Don’t rely on social media as the only mode of communication. The gravitational pull is weaker there than in real life. Keep in mind that quality is better than quantity. You want gravitational pull. Strong connections make for the best relationships to have in business and in your personal life.
Call your friends, make plans with family, network with people you haven’t connected with before. Deliberately set out to defy the research of losing connections as you age. Increase the size of your universe! And if you’re not sure how to grow it, give us a call, or better yet, ask us to go out for a cup of coffee face-to-face. We can discuss the skills needed to grow your solar system – both personal and professional.
