First Step to Networking
Before you venture out to meet new people,
"press some flesh" and generate new business, take some time to get
to know yourself, what you want, what you're committed to, and your
values. Get clear about what you love to do. Identify your
big dreams, the ones that stir your soul, and make a commitment to
seeing them come true. Clarity of purpose elevates you beyond the
ordinary into the extraordinary. It's the coal in your engine that
fuels your passion, the magic carpet to your dreams to get you from
where you are now to the vision you see in your mind's eye.
How to do this? The very first step is to find
out your bottom line, your ―why, why you want to accomplish your
dreams. What are you committed to creating in your life? How does
reaching your goals allow you to fulfill that commitment?
Once you are clear about your commitment,
identify and clarify your values. Sometimes the idea of values
confuses people, as it seems a nebulous, hard to access,
indefinable set of vague internal rules. Values are the intangibles
that all the tangibles are built upon―ideals only you can
identify, like integrity, peace, love, compassion, passion,
truth, honesty, action, creativity to name a few. One of the
easiest ways to discover your values is to ask yourself: what is
valuable to me? Determination and persistence are valuable to me.
Doing what I say I will do is valuable to me. If you're still not
sure, notice the traits you admire in others, and you will begin to
discover, uncover and clearly understand. Values motivate you
toward your goals and also give you a reference point to ensure you
stay true to who you are on the road to your dreams. Once you've
identified your own values, blazon and burn them into your
conscious mind, so you know 100% what makes you move, what makes
you take action, what is the source of your purpose and
passion.
One value may encompass three or four similar
sub-values, so take your time. Identify not only what a value means
but what it means to you. For example, integrity, this is usually
one of everyone's top values. Everyonesaysthey have integrity. Now,
how can this be? If your definition of integrity changes depending
on the circumstances of each moment, "Sorry I'm late, but…" you may
get tosayyou have integrity, but will peopleexperienceyou as having
integrity?
Depending on your understanding and definition,
integrity can include honesty, peace and even persistence. Only
when you define with total clarify what integrity means to you and
commit that definition to your mind, so you will live by it most of
the time can you be said to hold integrity as a value. And
remember, values like integrity may be easier to live by in some
areas of your life than others, but you'll feel better if you
strive to live by your values in every area.
Values are not static. They will change. You can
redefine and refine your values in the months or years ahead.
Make your values, goals, dreams and worthy
ideals clear, and you will not only be successful in networking,
but these skill sets will help you accomplish what you want in
life, in all areas. To clarify the values that propel your dreams
will help keep you going when the going gets tough and create the
reality you want.
While it's easy to rattle off a list of 20
values, or traits you admire, I think it is better to have three
values (up to, but no more than four or five if they are extremely
meaningful to you) that form the rock-solid foundation to build
your dreams upon. Start here. This will give you the energy, the
passion, the enthusiasm that will fuel all your networking efforts.
According to motivational speaker Chris Widener, "People are either
moving toward or away from you." The reason for this is your
passion, your commitment to excellence, your level of fun and
excitement, your passionate way of living. Everyone wants a piece
of the visionary, the excited and charismatic individual. You will
be charismatic proportional to the clarification of your values,
the commitment to your goals and the vision that is behind it
all.
Attract people. Get clear on what you want. Link
your desires to something that has a huge impact on the world, and
you will discover a key ingredient to get you to your goals a lot
faster.
Once you clarify your goals and values, write
them down. Read them every day. Create daily action steps. This
will attract people to you. In the words of Zig Ziglar, you "move
from being a wandering generality, into becoming a meaningful
specific."
