Two-Way Street To Connecting

Simply put, you can’t get by with being the one who asks all of the questions.

To connect to others, you need to be inquisitive and to listen and have empathy, but there’s another thing you need to do.

You need to open up, answer questions and put yourself out there, too.

To be totally selfless, we actually need to shine a light on ourselves for others in addition to shining it on them.

Stay Positive & What’s Your Story?

Photo credit

How Soon Can They Feel A Part Of It?

Building With Sign On It

That’s the challenge of building any business/tribe. The sooner you can make people feel part of the endeavor …

  • the more loyal they will be
  • the more friends they have time to tell
  • the more they’ll forgive mistakes
  • the more they’ll support you

Very few can build something and have people come these days. It’s more about inviting people to come before you start building.

Stay Positive & Yes, It Requires A Lot Of Vulnerability

Photo credit

Taking Too Much Time

Person Working

When something seems to take a lot of time, it’s usually not the doing that takes forever; it’s the deciding to do.

A few hacks:

  • If you’re going to read an email. Commit to responding to it then and there, otherwise don’t open it until you can.
  • If you’re assigned a task you know will take a few hours, then immediately invest 15 minutes in starting it right after being assigned. Those 15 minutes will be enough for you to discover if you have all the pieces you need to actually complete the task when you sit down to do it.
  • If you’re trying to find time in your calendar to work on a task, then you have time to start the task. Swap searching for starting.
  • If you’re going to take action (or not), but sure to reflect on it at the end of the day. You’ll find that you feel more fulfilled at the end of days you put the work in than when you mull around with the decision to do the work or not.

Stay Positive & Do More With Less Time

Photo credit

“Good To Me”

City Skyline

What’s funny to you may not be funny to everyone.

The work you’re proud of might not turn the heads of everyone who sees it.

The art you make won’t resonate with everyone you share it with.

As long as the work is good enough to you. Ship it.

Stay Positive & Now Do It Consistnetly

Photo credit

Do They Know You’re Thinking About Them

People Inspecting Car

In a world of give to get, does your target know you’re thinking about them?

How often?

Giving attention shows you care, are listening and have another’s best interest in mind.

One scheduled follow up a month isn’t going to be enough to build a tribe of people who know you care.

Stay Positive & A Daily Interaction Ought To Do

Photo credit

They Won’t Move

People Sitting

Many people will stay where they are, in their routine, where they are comfortable.

You can beckon them, incentivize them to come to you and wave your arms at them all day long.

But they won’t move.

You can try shouting louder. Or. You know, you can go meet them where they are.

Stay Positive & That’s Real Connection

Photo credit

They Can’t Take It

Inside Of A Shop

Responsibility can’t really be taken away.

An assignment may be tasked to someone else or you might be asked to step down, but responsibility is self-assigned.

If you want to be responsible for making things better but you’re not invited to the meeting, create your own.

If someone with a bigger title says “they’ll take it from here,” you don’t have to stop taking action, following up and keeping it moving the best you can.

Sure, there are times that you will have to pivot because of outside forces, but don’t confuse that with them taking the responsibility away from you.

The responsibility is always yours.

Stay Positive & Has And Always Will Be

Photo credit