Have you ever considered planning at least a part of your daily schedule, your priorities and your deadlines based on relationships? If not, why not?
Nothing in your personal or professional life is more important than relationships. Nothing will more quickly propel you to greater joy, happiness, fulfillment and success than good, productive relationships. The reverse is also true. Nothing will keep you from greater joy, happiness, fulfillment and success than poor, bad or neglected relationships.
We are all so busy and so overwhelmed with all that life offers and throws at us. If we don’t plan it, if we don’t prioritize it, if we don’t commit to it, if we don’t consciously make it an important part of our schedule, it will not happen. And so it is with our relationships! A simple example proves the point. Throughout our lives, every person reading this article has experienced literally thousands of friends, colleagues and family members who, for one reason or another, made a decision to move, to change jobs, to change careers or to make other significant changes in their lives. As they depart on a new adventure and journey, we wish them well and sincerely say, “Let’s be sure to stay in touch.”
Over 95 percent of the time, we do not stay in touch! We meant well… we really did… we just didn’t follow through. We did not make maintaining and even strengthening these relationships a daily priority. We slowly but surely loose virtually every one of these priceless gifts… these priceless relationships that can and will lead us to greater joy, happiness, fulfillment and success (however you define success).
Think about it. What percentage of your high school, college or grad school friends are still within your active circle of friends? How many jobs or positions have you had? What percentage of the hundreds of former colleagues and team members are still among your active circle of colleagues and friends? Each and every one of those former friends, colleagues and teammates could contribute to your life and your success if they were in contact with you and inclined to help you. Each and every one of them has knowledge, expertise, experience and contacts that you do not have and never will have. Not some of them, not most of them, but every one of them!
The good news… technology, the Internet and social networking make this time the best and easiest time in the history of the world to remain “in contact and in touch.” By the way, you can find me on Facebook and Linkedin. Let me know how I can help you…
I do not fully subscribe to the philosophy expressed in the well known phrase “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” However, I do understand the incredible power and reality of good, solid, up-to-date long term relationships… the people you know, appreciate and support… and the people who know, appreciate and support you.
You have not, nor will you ever accomplish anything without relationships. If you have good, solid, up-to-date, carefully cultivated long term relationships, you will experience far more joy, happiness, fulfillment and success (however you define success).
Make it a life-long priority. Set some daily, weekly or monthly deadlines. Make it an important part of your daily schedule. Plan by relationships!!!
