“My career started in the toilet. Or rather, with a toilet. I was ending an internship on a home-makeover show when a woman saw a toilet sitting outside my boss’s office. She asked us if it was for sale. My boss said she’d give it to her for free, as long as she introduced me to someone at her company, since the show was ending and I was soon to be unemployed. The woman agreed, which led to my meeting the editor who gave me my first job—and launched my career in magazines.”
Candace Braun Davison, web editor at Oprah.com
Whether we like it or not, who you know can play a large part in how far you go. There are countless stories of chance meetings leading to significant opportunities. You may have even personally experienced something like this. People in positions of power tend to have a lot of influence. When that level of influence is paired with your commitment to your God-given purpose, anything is possible.
By and large, we can’t compel these influential relationships to come to fruition. However, we can prepare ourselves so that when they do present themselves, we’re ready with the proposal, the idea, the vision or the know-how that the influencer is looking for. In essence, you have to know what you know in order to make the most of who you will know. The purpose of your life is honed in increasing what you know and is positioned in society by who you know.
WHO YOU KNOW
Think about if there is anyone that you know that you haven’t reached out to because of fear or laziness that you believe could help you advance in your purpose. I know all to well how the fear of rejection can be so visceral to the point that it is paralyzing. The only solution I can provide is this – man up (or woman up) and just make the call or send the email. The worst that can happen? They say no. But what if they say “yes”?! You have nothing to lose and potentially everything to gain.
There are calls I’ve made and emails I’ve sent that have led to blessings, business, or vital relationships. I know you’re scared but do it scared. You can be scared AND not have the opportunity or you can be scared AND go for the opportunity.The choice is yours, but life waits for no one. It is up to each of us to maximize our opportunities by being intentional with our efforts.Some of those efforts involve seeking the assistance, advice, influence, or aid of others.
WHAT YOU KNOW
Some of you are probably thinking – “Well, I don’t know anyone with that much influence or any famous people in my area of influence.” That may be true but there is a lot you can do in the meantime. A lot of who you know is out of your control and is in God’s timing. However, ALL of us can control what we know. All of us can study our craft. All of us can train. All of us can prepare as though we are preparing for the greatest moment of our lives! All of us have a decision to make – are we going to be trained or untrained?
You and I are in direct control of what we know. And if we take that seriously, then when the right ‘who’ is in the room and they see ‘what’ you know you will be primed to go to the next level. Some opportunities don’t come twice. If the right who is in the room and they don’t see you excelling in what you do or claim to know, that connection may forever be lost.
WHERE YOU GO
We all have somewhere we’re trying to go or someone we’re trying to become. Along the way remember this: Who you know will get you there but what you know will keep you there. Someone will give you the opportunity. Someone will give you the job. Someone will give you the money. Someone will give you the platform.
But what you know will determine how you maximize that opportunity. If you get the platform and don’t know anything or don’t use the platform well you probably won’t get it again. Once you get the opportunity and you demonstrate what you know, everyone who didn’t know about you will now not only know about you but will give you more opportunities themselves.
What you know will help you go from being the one who needed to be given the opportunity to one who is giving others opportunities. Focus on honing what you know, keep seeking who you need to know, and watch how God takes you where you never imagined that you would ever go.
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