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here are different types of people on the earth. Each unique human has a unique contribution that they bring on the stage of life. One thing is for sure: no one was meant to duplicate another, that is why cloning is such a bad idea, but I digress. The most interesting thing though is that this uniqueness, this wonder of billions of originals creates an environment where we must connect one with another. In other words, our uniqueness is part of the whole. As an individual, you cannot do so much.

The Crisis of Our Times

Today, one of the biggest crises that we face as a human race is severing of relationships. This is even when you negate the fact that our so called “technological advancement” that is supposed to connect the world together. Even before those connections came, the word “Divorce” has become so common in our world today, even in the most unexpected religious circles. If you took a look at our make up (our bodies) you will see that there inherently is a message of connections. We are made up of unique systems that all function towards a specific goal–to keep us alive. [ictt-tweet-inline]At the center of every crisis in life, there is a disconnection. At the center of every whole solution in life, there are connections.[/ictt-tweet-inline]

Related Read: 5 Benefits of Subtle Connections in Purpose Pursuit

Importance of Uniqueness

There is a graphic that has been going round the internet accompanied by this powerful quote reportedly from Albert Einstein:

“Everybody is a Genius. But If You Judge a Fish by Its Ability to Climb a Tree, It Will Live Its Whole Life Believing that It is Stupid”

~Unverified from Albert Einstein

Everyone is such a genius that we all need connections to fulfill our purpose. The definition of genius varies from one entity to another. There is no denying though that “genius” has connotation of focus and specialization. In other words, we are all good at something that someone else isn’t. In his book “What’s Your Genius?” Jay Niblic quotes Dr. Robert S. Hartman to have said,

“Stop trying to put in what God left out and
instead, work with what He put in.”
— Dr. Robert S. Hartman

Herein is the challenge. If you spend the rest of your life working with only what “God has put in”, chances are that you will not be self sufficient. [ictt-tweet-inline]Self sufficiency though is not the intention of the Divine over our lives. Anyone who is striving to be “self sufficient” is missing the whole point of life. Life thrives only through connections, and nothing else.[/ictt-tweet-inline] So what is the solution? If I am spending much of my time being a genius at say, speaking, what will happen to my other “needs” in life?

Why Organizations are Outsourcing?

Today, vary many multinational organizations have realized the power of connections. That is why they are hiring third parties to do for them some aspects of their core functions that are not necessarily their areas of specialization. In and of itself, an organization cannot be effective if it tries to thrive by doing everything by itself. That is why it is important that we zero down to having the right connections in our lives to help us.

The Power of Connections

Today, if you look at the life you are leading, it is possible to note that each success, each meaningful achievement, each impact is directly or indirectly connected to one, two or more connections. In other words, knowing the right people in life is not a bad thing. The greatest currency in marketing and indeed in business and life itself is the currency of trust. You do not trust strangers. It takes time to simmer. You will always revert back to the people that you have known for a while because you trust them. So if you are looking for safety, you are looking for a trusted connection. If you are looking for a deal, you are looking for a trusted connection. If you are looking for advancement, you are inherently predisposed to leverage on your powerful connections.

So let’s get this out of the way. There is nothing important, impactful, growth inducing, offering security, certainty and fulfillment that you will do or accomplish that was never necessitated by a connection. That is how important each connection in your life is.

Ground Zero

That being said, this message and theory of connection compels us to do something. You see, the wrong way of approaching a connection is through the angle of “what can I get from it?”. The most potent way though of making powerful connections is to provide value based on what you are good at. Ground zero of this message then is to stop all the traffic and look at yourself. Ask yourself these questions: What value am I bringing into this world? What is my value add to society? What can I do to help, solve problems, and make life better for those I meet? Such questions force you to focus on how important you are to the world. If you are going to make a connection in the world, it is better that you make that connection an opportunity for you to serve the world.

To get the best off a connection, it is therefore important that we put our best foot forward. I think the following pointers can help us keep iterating our value until it is refined.

1. Change Our Mindset:

Let’s note that connections are connections primarily so that we can be a blessing in the world. It is not connections coming to us to help us (which has it’s part) but us reaching our hands out to help. In the end, it is true that “givers gain”. What you sow will come back to you. So do not sow in requests, sow in value.

2. Refine our Value

We need to know what we are good at. The best gift we can give this world is to be our very best that we were meant to be in the first place. I honestly think that we ought not to make lousy appearances in life whenever there is an opportunity to connect. Take a look at your life thus far. Is there anyone that you met that are still memorable to you? Chances are that it was that way because they added lots of value to you and not the other way round.

Related Read: 5 Easy Ways to be a Service Provider of Choice

3. Love People

Let’s love people and use things. Let’s not use people and love things. There is so much word in that statement that we need to take a moment and think about it. We live in a society where people are looking for things at the expense of people. That mode of living only ends up severing connections. Whenever there is severance of important connections, you can always trace the problem to lack of genuine love.

Whatever way you look at it, connections are so powerful in the pursuit of a life of purpose. We shall continue with these thoughts in the next article. Stay tuned.