As I stood in the bowels of a hotel, deep in one of its overly innocuous conference rooms, I thought to myself:Networking doesn't have to be like this! Oddly enough, however, networking has become a cliché and yet it is extremely important to prolonging success in any area of your life.
When I think of networking, an image comes to mind:groups of people standing awkwardly around a fancy hotel, discussing topics that require the bare minimum of personality or emotional depth.
But it doesn't have to be like that!
If you're looking for you improve, you will need to network. If you want to change careers, find a life partner, or feel a strong urge to be better , you need to meet people who can help you achieve this goal.
Related: 8 Ways to Expand Your Network Today
“Hello! My name is…”
How many people do you see in a day? If you live in a big city, you might come across hundreds (or even thousands) of human beings, each as complex and wrapped up in their existence as you are.
Taking advantage of this fact is the first step to making the exciting networking.
One of the old adages in networking textbooks of yore is, "It's not who you know, it's who you know." Every person you pass on the street probably knows someone who can help you achieve what you are currently trying to achieve.
The secret to unlocking this power is to...talk to them.
Talk to new people makes your life exciting because it makes it unpredictable. Every conversation you have with a new person is potentially life changing. Embracing the fear of a stranger rejecting you is telling yourself that the risk of rejection is worth the chance of becoming the person you dream of being.
In reality, talking to people is super ineffective. random people on the street. It's too chaotic, too blurry. What if there was a way to dramatically increase our chances of meeting someone we want to meet and who does something we enjoy?
Spaghetti and Meatballs, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Hobbies and jobs.
If you're looking to land your dream job or career, it might be worth changing up your hobbies. It might sound strange, but in my experience people with similar jobs tend to go into similar extracurricular activities.
For example, I was in Weymouth (on the south coast of the UK ) climbing with friends. Weymouth is kind of a climbing hotspot, and talking to other climbers I started to see a strange pattern:they were all programmers! In fact, the friends who pushed me away were also programmers.
The more I thought about it, the more patterns I started to see:A lot business analysts play squash, writers go to book clubs, and middle managers at consulting firms ride road bikes.
If you're looking to get into a profession or meet people in a specific sector:
Go to Meetup.com.
Join a professional networking group for the job or industry that interests you.
Look at other members' profiles and see what other casual dating groups they're involved with.
Not only will you be able to meet the people you are looking to meet, but you will also find yourself doing things you never thought you would do. Speaking of which…
Do the things you've always wanted to do.
The most exciting way to network is to simply do the things you've always wanted to do.
You know that language you want to learn? Stop fiddling with apps on your phone and head to class. Want to become a jazz singer? It's time to get that sweet voice out of the shower and have a night at the open mic. Want to fight crime? It might be time to join the Avengers.
OK, that last one was a joke, but it's important that you start doing what you already do, but socially.
I'm a guitarist and I always did play for me in my room. When I started opening mic gigs, people would then come over to tell me about songs I was playing, musical projects I'd like to be involved in, or just to congratulate me. Thus, opening doors to a new friendship/business partner/significant other.
Similarly, if you take a course for something you've always wanted to learn, you'll learn a lot on other people during your lesson. You will see who is engaged, who helps their classmates and who are the sociable people (they will chat after class). After a few weeks of classes, you will have a clear idea of who you would like to engage with in the future and who you don't.
Advancing your life starts with attracting amazing new people into your life. So go ahead!
Related: Introverted? Use these tips to build networks
