In simplistic financial terms your net worth is equal to your assets minus your liabilities. That number, ladies and gentlemen, is your net worth.
Banks may need that number for a loan and financial institutions for your credit score, but all you need that number for is zero when you want to be effective in networking.
So why do so many of us shun the idea of even attempting to get a direct conversation with someone of power and of influence? Is speaking with successful people scary at times? Do you really need an introduction before reaching out? Is social media, just an easier softer, more convenient approach to reach out to people? And if you don’t get through the first and second time around, do you call it quits?
I’ve taken countless seminars and attended several lectures on this subject, not to mention reading several books on the topic. It really comes down to one very important and critical element to rapidly accelerate your chances of that dream meeting: understanding, appreciating, celebrating, and taking action based on your self worth not your net worth!
Just because you haven’t hit the home run financially doesn’t mean you’re any less of value to the person you are reaching out to. So what if you’re on the lower end of the pay-scale? So what if you’re switching careers and off to a fresh start? For many of us, something in our psyche keeps these people at bay in our networks and prevents us from reaching out to them.
I have been fortunate enough to meet magnificent people throughout my professional career but was always surprised how little some people thought of themselves by constantly valuing themselves based on their net worth.
Worst of all some of these people would go into what I dub, “hibernation is better than network humiliation.” Meaning they would be completely off the radar until one day they had something to be proud of professionally. Yikes!
There’s a huge web of uncertainties that go through our minds when reaching out for a meeting. Many say to themselves, “It’s so obvious that I need them. They’ve never heard of me and so for me to ask them for something is so lame! I hate this!” The biggest one I hear is, “Why would they ever want to talk to me?”
If you’ve ever felt that way, you truly need a shift in attitude.
You’ve all hopefully seen the image above before. I don’t know who to credit for it, but it’s flooded almost every modern day self help book. And it has for a reason.
Only when you truly embody the ability to understand how incredible your contribution is or the potential of it, only then can you pick up the phone and confidently ask for a meeting or approach the person standing with an audience encircled around them. Or more importantly, handle rejection!
Strategy goes out the window when you can’t be comfortable with the unknown.
When you change your attitude towards things, you can accept new approaches with much more ease. And when you change your approach, you’re more likely to at least get a different set of results! Fantastic statement! Now what?
I challenge you to think of a small group of highly regarded individuals in your life that impact your business industry, society, or careers. These could be business people, politicians, authors, even actors.
Your job in the next 30 days is to connect with just one of these people. E-mails, phone calls, hand written notes, calling a friend of a friend for an introduction, walking into a company with a CV and portfolio in hand–all is fair game in my book.
Take yourself up on this challenge and you’ll be amazed. I promise the least you’ll gain is the experience of creating opportunity for yourself…that’s the very least! One thing is for certain (gentle reminder): If you continue holding on to limiting beliefs don’t expect a change in the outcomes.
It’s not your net worth, but your self worth that will be the decisive key factor in this challenge.
Choose what manifestation of yourself you’d like to represent. It’s your choice!
Will your attitude be based on your net worth? Or on your self worth? Only you can only make that decision for yourself.
There is no cookie cutter approach to this and I would be more than happy to provide networking strategies catered to your specific needs. Most critically, it is imperative you get the psyche to networking right before any strategy can take place.
Remember, we are all emotions in human form–ideas, thoughts, truths.
The attitude towards your self worth then, defines just which emotion you will most likely be perceived as when you choose to network.
Grow your self worth first and I promise your net worth will surely follow.
Ramy Ballout
Entrepreneur & Business Coach