Are you showing up for the things that are important in your life? Do you invest in relationships and make sure that you’re top of mind for when the moment is right? If not, you’re missing opportunities.
Showing up is half the battle. It’s what makes the difference between those who have what some people call “luck” and those who don’t.
A few weeks ago I introduced a young professional to his idol. This wasn’t just an introduction; this was a personal recommendation for a job in which he’d be working directly with this well-regarded leader. “A dream come true” was his response when I asked him if he’d like me to facilitate the intro.
While I’m very generous with my Rolodex and make frequent “mutual” introductions, I make very few “lopsided” introductions (the kind in which one party will greatly benefit and the other may not).
So how did this happen? George showed up, repeatedly.
About a year ago this young man was introduced to me. A mutual acquaintance thought he might be able to help me out. He could, and he did.
At the time George told me that he would gladly give me a hand. He volunteered to help me out in exchange for mentorship. He saw it as an opportunity to learn from me and to gain access to my network in the future. He specifically mentioned that he hoped to have the opportunity to work with a certain well-regarded leader in the future. He hoped I might be able to prepare him and provide him with an opportunity to meet him.
But he didn’t stop there. Over the past year, this young man, despite building his young professional career and experimenting with a couple of entrepreneurial ventures, kept in touch. He added enough value to my life to ensure that he was on my shortlist of young professionals that I invest in and make time for. He would sporadically lend a hand and occasionally ask for advice.
In other words, he showed up. And he kept showing up.
And then, when his leader mentioned to me that he was looking to hire someone with a specific skill set, George was at the top of my mind.
Too often we don’t show up. We’re not willing to go the extra mile to build a relationship. We want people to help us out, but, we’re not willing to persist, to help them out, and to build a relationship. We simply don’t want to show up.
It takes effort to show up. But it’s worth it!