Building A Strong Network Of People

It has always been said that the net-worth of an individual is a function of their network. Of course, no one makes it by being an island but by being a subset of others who have made it. From my experience in life, I have understood that there is no absolutely independent successful person. That is, everyone that made it, made it through someone else. So in order to become successful, you have to focus and build relationships with successful people.

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It is worthy to note that someone who has people is more valuable that someone who thinks they have only possessions. I once read about a particular person that was about to undertake a particular project that requires some substantial amount of money which he did not have. After thinking about how to raise the money, he decided to send a plea to each of his loyal friends to give him 5 dollars. He asked all his contacts that he could remember, and adorably, in less than 2 days, the money they raised surpassed the money that he was looking for - this is the gift of people. Imagine if he had not built relationships with them, he would not have gotten the favour from them.

In this part of the world, sometimes last year, there was a particular man that did an event that involved a very huge sum of money. However, by the time he announced that he was doing the event, even before planning for it, many people have started bringing in cash and other material gifts to him. He was very rich, but he never had any reason to spend a dime of his own money. In fact, up to the meat that was eaten at the event was gifted - one of his former apprentices who made it through him gifted him with 1 trailer load of cows. People that he had built relationships with or helped in the time past came through for him.

When he was asked how he was able to command all these, he simply made a statement that "while others were busy building personal wealth, he was busy building men and raising them up." No wonder they showed up when he needed them the most. After the event, an excess of about 300million was left and one would have thought that he would take it. What he did amazed people. He called 300 youths from 300 different families within his community and gifted them with 1million each to start business with. Now imagine in few years from now, some of these youths would have become multimillionaires and even billionaires, and would have even raised other people. You think that if he ever needs people that they will not show up for him?

The truth is that when you are building friendship with people today, it may be what will build you up tomorrow. Of course, all these friendship you are building at the moment will be seen as connections in the future. However, you need to understand that for you to build a good network, there is also a part for you to play. You must have what to bring to the table; let them also feel the impact of your friendship. So that it will not turn out to be one-sided or parasitic. Let them feel blessed to have you as friend.

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More so, in order to build a good network of friends, try to check up on your friends. You can call or visit them just to know how they are doing and maybe extend some kind gestures to them - do not only remember them when you want favour or something to be done for you. Friendship should not only be what just one party will benefit from but what should be mutually beneficial to everyone involved. You will agree with me that you will feel the need to help someone that has shown you favour in the past than someone that is always entitled to your help without giving anything in return.

When building a true friendship, remember to value the friendship and your friends too. You do not have to do it for the immediate returns only, but also for the future. If you must achieve something worthwhile in life, then you need people in your life and you must value them in order to secure their input in your life.

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