“I believe that close association with one who refuses to compromise with circumstances he or she does not like is an asset that can never be measured in terms of money.” – Napoleon Hill
Think about the people that you hang around with. Do they encourage you, uplift you, and see you in your highest good? Or do they hold you back, fearful that you will leave them behind if you’re successful?
If you consider the income levels of the five people that you keep company with most, you’ll probably find that your earnings are approximately the average of theirs. What does that mean? If you want to reach a higher level of success, it’s important for you to be involved with people that have already reached the pinnacles that you are pursuing. If you are the smartest, wealthiest, most successful person in your group of friends, it’s probably time to look for new people to attract into your life.
Oftentimes we are too intimidated to approach the people we admire, fearful that we won’t be able to bring anything to the friendship. After all, “What do I have to offer them?” is a question that you may ask yourself.
Relationships happen over time. If there is someone you admire and want to build a connection with, look for ways to be of service – with no expectation of return. No, I’m not telling you to stalk them. Maybe you can volunteer to help them at their next event. Or run errands for them when they are overloaded. Or simply send them thoughtful articles and reference materials that you feel they would be interested in having.
When I was at the National Speakers Association Convention in 2012, I had the pleasure of having lunch with Harvey Mackay. If you’re not familiar with him, Harvey wrote a New York Times best-selling book called, Swim With the Sharks Without Getting Eaten Alive. Because this book was so pivotal in my sales career, I quoted Harvey and recommended Swim with the Sharks in my book, The Upside of Down Times. After lunch, I approached Harvey and expressed my gratitude for the difference he made in my career. I offered him a personalized copy of my book, which he graciously accepted. We took a picture together and I figured that was the end of it.
One year later, I received a call from Harvey. Not only did he read my book, he loved it, and wanted to quote it in his syndicated news column with ten million subscribers. I was blown away by his offer, and accepted it enthusiastically. I saw Harvey again at the 2013 Convention and thanked him profusely. We chatted for awhile and I am profoundly grateful that I had the courage to approach him and share my book with him.
Think about the influential people in your life that you would like to connect with. Start to look for ways that you can add value to their lives, without asking anything in return. It will be a refreshing change for them, and you may find that they are much more approachable than you think.
PS – When you give to others with no expectation of return, you receive unexpected gifts. Kindness works!
(About the Author: Employee Engagement Expert and Motivational Speaker, Lisa Ryan works with organizations to help them keep their top talent and best customers from becoming someone else’s. She achieves this through personalized employee engagement and customer retention keynotes, workshops and seminars. She is the author of six books, and is featured in two films including the award-winning, “The Keeper of the Keys” with Jack Canfield of Chicken Soup for the Soul. For more information, please connect with Lisa at her website: www.grategy.com or email her at lisa@grategy.com.)
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