If you are lucky in your career, you will have more ups than downs, but I suspect that in our current economy, most people are more used to the valleys than the peaks. As an entrepreneur, I’m used to the extreme lows, the self assessments, the self-doubt, the feelings that approach near hopelessness. I am also familiar with the extreme highs that are the result of signing a new client, delivering a killer strategy that I know will work, or writing a magnificent blog post. I’ve even experienced near superhero highs as if not even the metaphorical bullets of this economy could penetrate my business of steel.
Reality is both a major motivator and de-motivator. One thing I’m certain of however is that the longer you walk alone, the worse the path ahead looks. Throughout the 2 years that True Voice Media has been in business, I’ve learned that I would be nowhere, and most people would be nowhere if not for a network of people that support them. Your network is what will help you fill in the gaps when your pipeline is empty. Your network is what will help pick you up, when you’ve fallen down so hard you question whether it’s worth getting back up.
Herein lies the call for being honest and operating with integrity. If you do not earn trust, respect and affinity along the way, you will have a very difficult time building your network, your army, or your tribe.
Each call to your network is a sign of strength, not weakness. While the egotist will look at the cry for help as a sign of desperation, or an inability to “make it on my own” it is in fact a fools position to take that stand. The greatest measure of an individual’s strength is the strength of his or her network. I am not above asking for help. I consider myself lucky to have such strong supporters.
Though 2013 has started off slow, and the economy is in the toilet, I walk without fear, while I walk amongst the company of my incredible network.