It goes without saying, that this is the time of year many of us place an emphasis on being grateful. And gratefulness comes in many forms:
Giving back;
Saying thanks;
Paying a visit to those close to us; or
Taking a break from whatever you need a break from.
And of course, gratefulness comes from spending time reflecting on the last 11 months and charting what is ahead in the soon to be new year.
When Gratefulness Leads to Something More: Building Genuine Relationships
As I take on the action items Iisted above, I keep coming back to the importance of building genuine relationships, letting family, friends, colleagues, partners, spouses, and new acquaintances know how much I value our relationship.
Whether you are at the beginning of your career or end of your career or somewhere inbetween, there is someone that has always been there for you. What I found in the four plus years of working for myself, I need a support system - I need more than 1 person there for me.
I Can't Go This Alone
It literally has taken a village to keep me going. I have had the highest highs and lowest lows in the first half of my 30s, and it hasn’t been a straight path toward professional growth or “success”. My entrepreneurship journey has been because of everyone in my life: my wife, my family, the support staff to my businesses, my clients, my best friends, my new friends, my business associates. If you asked me four years ago who I would be grateful for, my list would be nowhere near as long as it is today in 2018.
We all have a lot of people around us, but who are the ones that you have a genuine relationship with? You care about them, they care about you.
As an entrepreneur living and working in Washington, D.C. meeting a lot of other business professionals, what I have realized, is you can’t scale genuine relationships. You can’t fake it. Or automate them. And yet, many try.
Take the Time to Show You Care: Strengthen Your Village
Take that extra 5 seconds to send a personalized heartwarming text, comment on social media with a word (or emoji) of encouragement, or go out of your way to set up a time to connect face to face. All while having real intent. No hidden agenda and not making it all about yourself.
So, whether you are reading this, stuck and still trying to find your niche, or you’re on a path where you are content and looking to expand your niche, think about the genuine relationships you have and the people who make up your village.
Before the holidays end, get in touch with them - better yet visit with them or at the very least call them. When you do, be sure to tell them why they matter to you.
To all of you that celebrate, have a happy Thanksgiving and enjoy some downtime before the year is over.
Kevin