1. Why it is important to be well-connected

Is it really true that successful people can only get to where they are because of their connections? You may disagree, but there’s a benefit to networking because of the importance of being well-connected.

Maybe there are other factors involved, but there’s no denying that being well-connected can get you where you want to be.

Connections are like a web: the more people you know, the more social circles you are permitted to frequent.

How do you start being well-connected?

Expand your social circle and don’t stay where you’re comfortable. Being comfortable is like swimming in your own pond. If you want to benefit from new perspectives, new ideas, and new experiences you have to reach outside of your immediate social circle. Don’t limit yourself to people that you are most familiar with.

By being well-connected, you will find that it opens a lot of doors in your personal and professional life.

2. Belong to a community so you don’t get left out

Yes, I’m saying that with a touch of irony. But there’s a bit of truth to it.

Things like hearing news through the grapevine, and being privy to information that’s not just from the internet is one of the benefits of belonging to a community.

As social creatures, humans don’t function in isolation. There’s a reason why we work, live, and play in tribes. If you’re in complete isolation, there’s a risk that you are left out of the loop. That includes important information that can help you live and work smarter. That’s the importance of networking and being well-connected.

It’s interesting how information is passed along between people living in societies. Information that is useful is also sometimes hidden. That’s why you should join networking groups to uncover hidden information that will help you.

3. Expand the number of people in your zone of influence

How many people rely on you for your opinion? The more people that seek out your opinion, the more influential you are.

Why is this important? It’s important because the more people who can vouch for your expertise, the more opportunities you have to advance your career or leverage those connections to make sales and grow your business.

Building expertise is one of the ways that you can become a well known authority on a particular subject. You might not be comfortable with being well known, but the upside is that people will seek you for your guidance. It’s one of the ways that your social circle and number of connections grow.

4. Associate with positive people you aspire to be like

The saying that you should hang around the five people you aspire to be like is a cliche because it’s true.

When people make connections, they don’t do it only because they want to assimilate and fear getting left out. They do it because they know that making that connection gets them one step closer to their goal, whether it’s professional or personal. That goal can be building a business that reaches more people, or having a well-balanced lifestyle.

When you associate with positive people you aspire to be like, you may find that their habits are easier to emulate, their language and speech influence the way you communicate, and your overall outlook on life is more positive. That’s the importance of networking and being well-connected.

5. Is there no hope if you don’t have any connections?

Yes, there is hope. If you don’t have many connections, my advice is to network. There’s no way around it. Not a lot of people like networking, probably because they’re uncomfortable with strangers, and because meeting at a networking event feels fake and forced.

Networking is not just something that only social climbers do. If you don’t have a wide number of connections, and feel discouraged at having to build that network from zero, you still have to start somewhere.

Seek out introductions to “warm” connections if you’re just starting. These warm connections can be friends of friends, or friends of relatives or coworkers. There’s less pressure than if you were to be thrown into a networking event where you don’t know anyone. Even then, a networking event attended by people who have the same interests as you can be places where you can start meaningful conversations.

6. Are you so connected, yet feel so alone?

I get it that there are a lot of loners in a hyperconnected world. How do you reconcile the fact that most of our interactions lead to meaningless connections? As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, it’s easy to feel alone despite there being so many channels for virtual connection. It can lead to feelings of alienation and paradoxically, disconnection.

To solve this, forge connections that are based on commonality and mutual benefit. It’s easy to forget why we seek out connection in the first place. Remember that meaning is derived from giving as well as receiving. So when a connection does you a favor, try your best to do something kind in exchange.