Oftentimes I’ll wake up in the morning, and I’ll look at my emails after I’ve done my hour of power, and in those emails, I have lots of emails from subscribers of The Author of Your Own Story email. In there they’re telling me about their journey. They’re telling me about their struggles. They’ll also reach out to me on social media, and I absolutely love it, so thank you, but one thing I’ve noticed is about 90% of them are having issues where they’re currently unhappy in their current position. They’re feeling unsatisfied with their work, or they’ve been let go, and now they’re rapidly needing to expand their network.
They’re actually needing to tap into a network they don’t have, and the problem is, they’re unhappy now in their life. This is the one life we have to live, yet they haven’t done any of the work ahead of time to allow themselves to pivot when they need to.
What I want to talk to you today is about expanding your network before you need it. Now, how can you do this, and what do I mean? Well, what I mean is adding those like minded people to your network. Those people who will be there for you when the times get hard or be there for you when you’re ready to make that pivot. As the Author of Your Own Story, you should be working every day to actually build your life of your dreams. Oftentimes, for many of you, what that means is, what you want to do, are you want to create that image of what you want.
Maybe that’s leaving a current job, or changing what you’re doing inside of your job, and changing your own paradigm, and some of that has to be with surrounding yourself with the right people, or at least getting to know, and be able to contact with the right people.
Now, my ideas, or at my philosophy with building a network is, how can I add value to others? How can I add value to people’s lives, so I can make them better, so I can help them, so I can serve them, and when the time comes, if it ever comes, that I need a little help, I’ll tell you what, most people when I ask them for something, they’re more than willing to do it in return, because I’ve already filled that emotional bank.
So, think of your relationships like a piggy bank. You have this piggy bank, and every day you’re putting deposits in, all the time, and so you’re putting your deposits in, that bank is filling up. So, when you want to make a withdrawal, when you want to ask for help, when you want to pivot, when you want to change, when you want to do something else, you can actually withdrawal from that piggy bank.
All too often what happens is, people hit a rough spot in their lives, or they decide to make a change or a new program, or maybe they want to raise, or promotion and they want to come to their boss and say “Hey look, I have this skill set, let me use it.” Whatever it may be. Well, then they go to that piggy bank and try to withdrawal from that relationship, but the piggy bank is empty.
You see, they haven’t put deposits in on a regular basis. Now, this is something I’m going to encourage you to do. Look at your current network. Are the people that are in your network, this could be friends, family, coworkers, people you associate with on social media, Facebook, LinkedIn, where you’re connected with people. Are these people that you want to spend time with? Are they people that can help you elevate?
Now, if they are, I want you to add tremendous value. Add a lot of value. Don’t ask for anything first. Add tons of value. If they aren’t the right people, still add value but move on. Add some more people to your network. Add them and make those a relationship deposits.
Alright Doug, that’s great, but how do I do it? There are lots of ways. One, go over to The Author of Your Own Story Facebook group and request to join. Now, when you’re in there, what I want you to do is a post. Post once daily, if not, post at least once a week. Post about something that’s going on in your life. Respond to comments, be active in that community. This is social media.
What I’m asking for, if you’re listening to this, you will find your drive. You’re like minded individuals over in the Author of Your Own Story community, that’s step one. Step two, go over to LinkedIn, polish up your LinkedIn page, and look at people that are doing what you want to do, or look at people that might be able to give you a helping hand, and people you can help. Connect with them. Connect with them and ask “How can I serve you? How can I help you? What is something that I can do to make your life better.”
Obviously, you want to do this in your own tone. I have the way that I do it, and I’ve expanded my network on LinkedIn alone to over eight thousand professionals that I try to contribute to on a regular basis. Now, also, what’s something else you can do? Again, grab your journal. Write out your top 50 list. Now, if you’re not familiar with your top 50, go back to authorofyourownstory.com, go to the daily growth hacks, and look at our archive. We talk about what it is to create your top 50 list. This is critical because this top 50 list are the people you’re going to want to put the most deposits in. You’re going to put the most deposits in their relationship piggy bank. This is really important.
Now, you’ve got three steps right there. I’m going to leave it at that, although there’s more. Actually, I’m going to give you the fourth step. This fourth step is really important, because really what you want to do is build your tribe, build your community. So, get the people that are currently around you, the existing people that you love and care about, and get them on the same track as you.
One way you can do that is, right now grab your journal. If you’re driving, when you’re listening to this, or you’re working out, maybe grab your iPhone and put a voice note in, or put a little quick note, whatever it may be. Obviously, be safe about it, but I want you to pick three people you care about. Three people, you want to continue on your journey for the next five to ten years, and then what I want you to do is share this daily growth hack, and share the Author of Your Own Story daily growth hacks with them.
The reason you want to do this is that now they’re going to be on a similar path or a similar page as you. At least, if this is not their thing, they’ll understand where you’re coming from, and you’ll be adding value to them.
We have one subscriber that sent me an email and said “You know what Doug? I sent this to my family every single day, and now we have these conversations at dinner, and this has got my family closer. Now, not everybody agrees with everything you say Doug, but at the same time, we’re always talking about it. They know where I’m going, and what I’m thinking, and the conversations have grown.”, and that warms my heart. That’s why I do these daily growth hacks each and every day for you.
We’ve done over 60, and I’m very proud of them, and hopefully they’re going to get better, and better, and better, and you’ll enjoy them too, but right now what I want to challenge you to do is open your journal, make sure you have your top 50 list. Go over to the authorofyourownstory.com community, and make sure you subscribe and make sure you get in there and be active. It doesn’t help to be a player on the sidelines. If you’re on the bench or in the stands, you’re not on the court. We want you to be an MVP, this is your life.
Now, take the daily growth hacks and share them. Share them regularly. Three people’s what I’m asking you to do today. Commit right now, in this moment, to share it with three people every single day. You’re going to see your network, as well as the conversations, the depth of feeling you have in your relationships expand, I promise you.
If you like these daily growth hacks, it would mean the world to us if you would take a moment to subscribe and review us on iTunes!
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