I feel like I’m somewhat qualified, if not required to finally say that.
In the past, I thought telling someone to grow a pair was ignorant, rude and insensitive. Now, though, I wish someone would have told me earlier on. This realization came after I took a phone call earlier today.
An acquaintance of mine sent me a message on Twitter asking if I could spare a few minutes to talk to him about connecting with professionals. He’s in NYC this weekend and set up meetings with an NBC correspondent and a couple of other journalists. (Most need to be told to grow a pair and go make these connections, alas, this friend did not. If you are someone who needs to be told to grow a pair and go schedule meetings with your idols, then be prepared to get told to grow a second time. Read on.)
Without questioning further, I told him I had time this afternoon. He called. He called because he grew a pair and realized that he could use all the help he could get, he realized that while experience is the best teacher, you can still be prepared for the lessons.
He explained his worries, his largest concern being that he would make the NBC correspondent feel as though she wasted her time. A real, natural human concern.
I talked him through it, gave him the rundown of what to expect, ideas for what to ask and the single best way to make her not feel as though he wasted her time. (If you want to know, call or email me.)
Once I hung up, a particular AC/DC song began playing in my head. This acquaintance, this, now friend, has the biggest of them all.
1. Grow a pair and meet with your idols and other professionals in your field of interest. Face to face.
2. Grow a pair and send an email, direct a tweet, make the call to those that can help you get the most out of that experience.
3. Remember that these people you are connecting with didn’t get to where they are now by never growing a pair.
Stay Positive & Go Ahead, You Know What To Do
