The six handshakes rule
“The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people” — Theodore Roosevelt
Robert Kiyosaki once said: “The richest people in the world build networks. Everyone else is trained to look for work.” One of the wonders of the world is networking. Creating the right network can increase your success and happiness exponentially. Networking opens up opportunities and helps you tap into resources that you wouldn’t have access to on your own. The more successful connections you make, the more likely it is that you will be able to find the resources and information you need. But it’s not just about making connections–it’s about making valuable connections.
Networking is not just collecting contacts; it’s planting relationships. When networking, it’s not about how many contacts you have rather, the quality of your relationships with those contacts. Take the time to get to know people, build trust and rapport, and create meaningful connections. These are the relationships that will be most beneficial in the long run. Seek out people who can help you achieve your goals and offer necessary help.
Have you ever heard someone saying surprisingly that” ‘It is a small world’? Usually, we say “it’s a small world” to show surprise at a connection that seems unlikely, improbable, and against the odds.
Generally speaking, “It’s a small world” means that sometimes, the world can feel a lot smaller than it is.
The six handshakes rule (also called “The six degrees of separation” rule) suggests that anyone in the planet can be connected to anyone else in just six steps. So through just five other people, you’re effectively connected to the President of United States, Queen of England, Elon Musk, or even an Eskimo from the Arctic region. The rule was formulated in 1929 by Frigyes Karinthy, a Hungarian author, playwright, poet, journalist, and translator.
In summary, the idea holds strong that all people are six or fewer social connections away from each other. It is amazing to know that you are just six persons away from anybody in the world! You only need to find the right six people to make the right connection.
This is one of the assumptions that really validate the fact that the world has now become a global village. By positioning yourself in some strategic relationships, you are just six relationships away from anybody in the world. This idea has further been influenced a great deal by the advent of social networks through social media, both directly and indirectly. With the advent of social media, it has even become more glaring that you can start conversations even with people that normal protocols would not have allowed you to ever meet in your lifetime.
You need to take your relationships to a new level or else, you may miss the next level. One connection with the right person can propel your life to the next level and lift you exponentially.
Forming formidable relationships is the billionaire’s mind-set. I often tell my mentees: Before you build anything, build relationships. Connect with great minds on LinkedIn and Facebook. Follow critical people on Instagram and Twitter. You can also take this further by working on the quality of your connections, rather than their existence. You can ‘shrink’ the world by the quality of your connections and relationships
One of the greatest truths about relationship is that of all the resources available to man, it is only relationship that is inexhaustible and is easily accessible. All you need to do is just know how to press the right ‘buttons’ to access the right people. True wealth is in your relationships, not riches. It is not enough to have talent and skills; you must understand the power of building valuable relationships.
Relationships are resources. In actual sense, people don’t really lack money, it is relationship they lack. I repeat, you don’t lack money, you only lack the right relationships.
Relationship is social capital. If the only advantage you have in life is in relating with people, you will succeed exponentially. The greatest gift in life is the gift of the right relationships. Many people you see not doing well is a result of certain relationships not in place in their lives. Likewise, everyone doing well can be traced to certain right relationships in their lives. If your only goal in life is just to have quality relationships, that goal is worthwhile. Build a solid base of relationship. Don’t wait till you need a relationship before you build it. It can be too late.
You don’t need too many people in your life. You only need quality relationships that are critical to your destiny fulfilment. Surround yourself with the ‘vital few’ and stop running after the ‘trivial many’.
I want to recommend a book entitled: “Social Wealth: How to Build Extraordinary Relationships by Transforming the Way We Live, Love, Lead and Network” by Jason Treu. It is impossible to succeed exponentially in life without the power of quality relationships. You are not wealthy until you have relationships that money cannot buy. The true worth of a man is found in the quality of his relationships. Your network is directly proportional to your net worth.
Someone said: “The opposite of Net-working is Not-working”. This is actually true because until you have networked, you have not worked! It is not all about prayers and fasting when you desire great doors to be opened for you. Connecting with the right person can be a more productive spiritual exercise than 365 days of prayer and fasting! Do you value relationships? Do you invest in relationships? Do you appreciate the critical people that God has placed in your life? Do you create time to network daily? Always remember that you are just six relationships away from anything you desire in life!
