Don’t let people get you down. I know that’s a pretty “duh” statement, but it holds true for so many aspects of life. Particularly those which you never thought would be the ones to turn negative.
Part of networking — and especially building your minimum viable network — is understanding that things in life can sometimes change on a dime, and not letting that reality affect your personal edge. It’s sometimes harder to deal with things that you assumed were going to be positive things — a new gig, a new introduction, a new assignment which was supposed to be your big break — than with the things you knew were a long-shot anyway. We’re wired to assign certain values of ease to the things we set as goals, and the ones which show more promise are supposed to work out well. But that’s not always the case.
The trouble comes in when those disappointments — the ones which were supposed to be big breaks — turn your personality from positive and magnetic to dour and cynical. When that happens, you end up losing twice; you lose the initial opportunity, and more importantly, you end up losing out on future networking connections which might yield new opportunities.
When these things happen, remember that tomorrow is always a new day, and that the whole point of networking is to open yourself up to new possibilities. Any one potential new contact could mean a huge payoff down the road, but it only ends in a good place if you continue to project an opportunistic mentality. It’s ok to be disappointed, that’s a valid emotion and part of life. But don’t let it rule your entire outlook thereafter. New things arise, and by building out your minimum viable network, you will be well-conditioned to take advantage of them. Be resilient in your networking.
Find me on Twitter @adammarx13 and let’s talk music, tech, and business.
Originally published at adammarxsmind.wordpress.com on April 21, 2017.
