Maintaining a network is actually not that hard after building an established foundation with regards to how relationships work and what people need from connections.
The latter is usually the hard part for me and can take more time than expected if/when the said person is perceived to be of higher worth and/or more discerning with their time and energy. There's an initial barrier to entry here.
I'm not sure how value actually sits on this equation. Everybody is supposed to bring value to the table as a ticket of sorts to win a seat at the table. But what counts as value changes depending on context.
There are levels to this game. One can offer expertise, connections, resources, or intangibles like gooood energy and genuine interest.
I think soft skills such as emotional intelligence go a long way in cementing one's position in any network worth being part of.
Especially with modern people and their modern sensitivities, being understood is arguably on top of the list of what people want from their connections.
In terms of building an established foundation for the said network, it just takes constant practice, showing up every week, performing well as if people are watching even when they're not, giving or rather helping out as much as possible.
There's actual joy in helping our fellow human beings out irrespective of what we get back immediately. It's just that somewhere along the way, the transactional nature of networking can overshadow that joy.
For myself and being on the doing end, I can be patient about the ups and downs experienced as a byproduct of such activities. I see it as the cost of doing business, so to speak.
What's the point of checking in?
The law of diminishing returns makes maintaining a network kind of uneventful after having put in so much effort into building a foundation.
In theory, maintaining momentum is easier than building momentum. I think the part they left out in practice is the former doesn't lend itself to the same sense of novelty and excitement.
What am I supposed to do when the aliveness starts withdrawing out of it all? When it becomes just checking in for the sake of checking in?
It's a bit similar to keeping the car driving on and on and on with no particular destination in mind.
Of course, the thing is this feeling of meaningless-ness is just one frame of mind, and it's a passing moment almost like everything else in life.
When fitted into a broader picture, it makes you available when an unexpected opportunity comes along. And the foundation definitely doesn't crack just because maintaining it feels routine some days.
The lament usually shows up via experiencing getting stuck in a particular mindset and have lost sight of why we built these connections in the first place. But mindsets shift, thankfully.
Mechanical today, meaningful again tomorrow. And then the next day reverses it, or vice versa.
So what are we supposed to do?
Well, just recognize that the feeling is temporary. Keep the engine running especially when the drive feels endless, who knows, the next mile could reveal something worth stopping for, if not, keep on keeping on.
Thanks for reading!! Share your thoughts below on the comments.
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