Month: February 2018

It’s interesting to watch the trends of information that flow through my life. Sometimes it’s intentional: I’m learning a lot about Mark Twain because of working on a research project with my sister. Other times, the trends are entirely unintentional: all of a sudden a flood of knowledge on a certain subject comes from numerous sources.

I can’t explain the trends. Maybe it’s simply that when my interest is piqued, I start to notice new information that I wouldn’t have seen before. Maybe, subconsciously, I am searching out for the certain knowledge that attracts me. Maybe it’s just God’s divine hand guiding my learning process. Regardless of the cause, I love it. It’s exhilarating to take a step back and watch the process of learning become real in my life.

One of these trends has been the concept of tribe. When I read about tribe in the book The Last Safe Investment, I immediately connected with the idea. Tribe refers to the close group of individuals with whom you share much in common. Tribe is not just a friend group: it is a close circle of people who are committed to growing together.

This started the trend of networking information in my head. It awakened within me the passion to make each connection that I make as strong as possible. Instead of simply thinking of a friend as a friend, I choose to actively grow them and help them succeed. Being intentional with connections makes for strong, healthy friendships and partnerships.

Soon after reading the book I listened to a networking talk by Evan Le at a Praxis conference. Over the next several months, random people reached out to me because of things I wrote or people we both knew, and I realized anew how important it was to strengthen each connection, both business and personal.

This isn’t hard to do. I naturally relate to people, and I have always sought to bring out the best in everyone I am with. However, the difference lies in intentionality. I can’t just wait for people to reach out to me and expect to build a strong network. I have to actively seek to build relationships.

It’s this trend that has led me to pursue direct connection with everyone who chooses to join my podcast mailing list. And I am enjoying it to the full.

What learning trends have you seen in your life? Drop a comment or reach out to me!