Who Is In Your Corner?

The first time I heard this question, I was a bit confused. I had people in my life – friends, family, coworkers… but I’d never thought of their real roles in my life’s successes.

When we think about sports teams, celebrities, political parties, or official associations, we get that without their fans, they wouldn’t really exist. The bigger support they have, the more they mean. The bigger the crowd behind them, the bigger the value they carry around.

It’s the same with each of us. Every single person has his beliefs, opinions: something that drives him, something he’d like to get support for from others. When you share yourself with others, you find out who is with you in your corner and who is not. Nothing happens in isolation. We’re all connected, and knowing that there are people who believe in us can carry us through hard times and low points. There will be people who won’t want to be in your corner, and that’s OK. It’s better to know the truth than to live on false assumptions.

In terms of your career, practice telling people what you do, why you like it, where you’re going with it, what your hopes for the future are, where you struggle, and what makes you feel energized.

Support can come in different forms. People can say:

• “Wow, this is great!” which reassures you and lets you celebrate your success.
• “Hmmm, I don’t know,” which challenges you to think about different perspectives.
• “That reminds me of this other guy,” and they connect you to a great resource or a potential customer.
• “So, how’s it going?” after some time, which holds you accountable and makes you feel like people do care about your progress.
• “How can I help you?” when you struggle, and hold you up when you need it.

You get more if you give more. Think—whom can you give support to, cheer for, celebrate with, offer a shoulder to cry on, or connect to someone with a similar interest?

There are plenty of ways to share who you are – in person, online, one on one, in bulk, by speaking…and so on. Choose the ways that work for you. Twitter may not be your thing, but maybe you love writing a blog. Build a fan club on who you truly are, not on some ideal you’d like to be. Authenticity is key. And don’t forget to thank people for being in your corner. They don’t have to be.