How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?
One, but the light bulb really has to want to change.
In Loren Eiseley’s story, “The Star Thrower,” a young man walked down a deserted beach just after dawn and saw an old man surrounded by millions of starfish stranded by the retreating tide. The old man was picking up starfish and throwing them back into the sea. The young man watched in wonder as the old man repeatedly moved starfish from the sand to the water.
He asked, “Old man, what are you doing?” The old man explained that the stranded starfish would die in the morning sun.
“But there must be millions of starfish on this beach!” exclaimed the young man. “How can you make any difference?”
The old man looked at the starfish in his hand and, as he threw it into the sea, said, “I made a difference to this one.”
In life, we all have choices. Our actions are direct results of our conscious decision to act in one way or another.
About fifteen seconds after we wake up on the morning of our networking meeting, we have a choice. We can stay in the warmth of our beds or make an effort to go and meet with fellow members and guests. I don’t think I have ever regretted the choice of getting up and going to a networking meeting.
There was a Fred Dagg song in the 1970s called "You don’t know how lucky you are." Though funny, the song rings very true. If you take a moment to reflect, you'll realize just how lucky you are and how easy it is to help other members by looking for and finding more opportunities.
In networking, gratitude is often a missing element of a referral. Sometimes, weeks can pass from the moment a referral is given to when business is conducted, and the initial referral can be forgotten.
You should always take time to thank the person who referred you, even if no business resulted. The gratitude you show will help strengthen your relationship with the other member. We all appreciate having our efforts acknowledged.
Another important concept is ‘paying it forward.’ This means helping someone else without hesitation if you can, without thinking of yourself or expecting a reward. It’s about unrestrained giving.
So, how many networkers does it take to change the world?
One, but the member has to want to change...
Module Actions:
Make a gratitude list of referrals you have received in the last month.
Call the members who referred you and thank them.