Power of the Network

I’m always talking about the power of the network – and no, not the one on the Verizon commercial. I don’t even use Verizon – I use T-Mobile. Why? Because I just happen to like having five friends show up all of the time on the home screen of my phone!

Not only that, but Verizon has the WORST rates when you travel internationally. When I’m traveling abroad, the last thing I want to do is roam on some ridiculous network when T-Mobile is worldwide.

But this blog is not about cell phone service – if it were, I would talk about the new, cool, exciting phones that have just come out and why I don’t have an iPhone. Do you know why I don’t use the iPhone? Because I can use my BlackBerry Pearl and type on it with one hand – I get 400 emails a day – and I can whip right through them.

If I had the iPhone, I’d have to dance around with my pointer finger and try to find everything. I like the fact that it has really fun little graphics, but I sit in front of my 24” Mac all day – I don’t need to be on the internet while I’m driving!

Then again, sitting in LA traffic is so bad, I could probably use the time to be on the internet, but I’d rather be cursing at the people in front and to the sides of me who are staring and almost running into me.

But this blog is neither about bad driving or the power of your cell phone network – or, as they say globally, your mobile.

This blog is about the power of your personal network.

Stop for a second and think about your network: who do you know? If an emergency came up, who do you know? Are there doctors in your network? Do you have doctors as friends that you can call up and get their medical opinion – without having to wait for an appointment?

Do you have a veterinarian friend that you can call up when there is something wrong with your dog? Someone you can trust? Someone who won’t charge you $80 a visit to find out that it was nothing but common diarrhea?

What about clothing and fashion? Do you know people that work in the stores you shop in? Do you know people that call you when something good comes in that would be perfect for you?

Do get deals? When you go out at night, do you get a free drink or appetizer because you are just a great person that connects with people? Do you know people in all different places?

How about when you go buy a car? Instead of getting red-penned to death by the salesclerk – going back and forth bargaining – can you walk into a car dealership and get a low, rock bottom price just because you know people there and you’re respected?

How big is your network?

What about when you go to the airport – they only have one seat left in first class and you’re out of certificates – but because you got friendly with the person behind the counter, they slide you into the seat with no questions asked (and no extra charges?)

What about when you check into a hotel that you’ve been to before? Do they remember you and upgrade you to a suite just because you remembered to ask about their dog or their cousin that was about to get married?

How big is your network? All of the time that you spend chasing the opposite sex – are you attracting people into the power of your network? Are you expanding your social circles?

Are you becoming a more powerful person, or are you just walking around trying to validate yourself by meeting people of the opposite sex?

My network is huge. I just had a question about this cyst that Daphne has, called three people up in a span of five minutes and got an answer – through my network.

Next time you have something going on, who are you going to call?

Instead of chasing the opposite sex, learn to attract the opposite sex and attract a more powerful network by being a more powerful person!