People are the most important asset available period! No matter what you need in life, there's always someone who can help you get it. Yet, it seems that most of us are not taking advantage of our network. I recently read this very cool book called, "The Startup of you" by Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha, and it made quite an impression on me.
I decided that I was going to connect with people on a personal level more than I am used to. Making friends may come natural to some, but for me it took some work. As a naturally shy person, I had to go out of my comfort zone to strike up conversations with people.
Why is it important to Invest in people?
As an entrepreneur, you simply can't afford not to invest in people. The success of your business relies solely on your effort to go out and sell your products, present to clients and even pitching to investors.
I know the word "investing" suggests you'll be expecting something in return for helping someone, but I really think we can all help each other. What I am referring to as investing is: being a better friend, a better connector, a resource to others and ultimately being someone who provides a value without expecting anything in return.
A few things will happen when you invest in people:
- You become happier
- You have more friends and supporters
- And most of all, some people will return the favor by investing in you
Asking for help
As for "asking for help" we just don't do it enough. I know it's a hard thing to do, but sometimes, we just have to. I also think that this task is harder for people who haven't given enough. When you're a natural giver, it doesn't bother you as much to ask for help.
In my opinion, people don't ask for help for a few reasons:
- They haven't given enough
- Too much pride
- Or maybe your Google attitude towards life (You're a know it all)
Whatever your reasons, you should always ask for help. Just be careful not to confuse "asking for help" with asking for "a handout." To me, asking for help is like asking for directions because you're lost on the freeway, not asking someone to be your personal driver and take you to your destination. That would be more of a handout.
In my experience, people always want to help, even when it doesn't seem like it. I think we should all approach life and business by this Zig Ziglar quote:
"You can have everything in life you want; if you will just help enough other people get what they want."
With that said, do you want to be successful? Start investing in people.
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