More on Motivating Yourself to Network

In thinking more about yesterday's post on motivating yourself, I have a couple more thoughts.

If you're still having a hard time getting yourself to go to a networking event or participating in any kind of deliberate network building activities, you've got to find more compelling reasons to do the work.

• Make a list of every possible benefit. Sit down with a pen and paper and write down every possible benefit, advantage, and prospect you would want to gain from participating in networking. Get detailed. Get imaginative. They may or may not be realistic, but they might be possible.

For example, networking might help you:

• Get a new client
• Build your reputation
• Find an amazing dentist/chiropractor/printer/drycleaner, etc.
• Remind someone to send you a referral
• Make you a new friend
• Find an old friend
• Give someone help that saves them a lot of trouble
• Impress your boss with something you learn
• Meet the love of your life
• Help you find a home for the stray cat who showed up on your porch
• Find a luncheon group who wants you as a speaker

Except for meeting the love of my life (which I managed on my own, thank you), networking has accomplished all of these things for me and more. But I do know of a couple who has been married 20 years after meeting at a Clovis Chamber event. So they are all possible.

Are any of these appealing to you? Would any of these results be beneficial? Would they be worth the investment of an hour or two? Would accomplishing one of these make you find just a little bit of time and energy?