There are no accidents. 

This is an oft repeated line in movies and television scripts. Even in self-help books and inspirational speeches.

Well.

There are no accidents this saying keeps showing up everywhere. 

Entrepreneurs who tell you they made it because of luck, or being in the right place at the right time either 1/ don’t realize all the hard work it took for them to GET to the right place at the right time or 2/ are just being humble. 

All the hard work is preparation for the “luck” that will come your way. 

Imagine bestowing upon an opportunity on someone with a low level of ambition and skill. How would they react to it? 

Imagine someone offering the same opportunity to you, and you didn’t have any of the relevant skills to succeed in that job. Would you be ABLE to grasp the opportunity? 

Now, if the opportunity is given to a version of you that is driven, continuously learning to improve your skill set, do you think this version of you has a better opportunity of taking advantage of the opportunity?

We would bet that the third option, where you have equip yourself with the necessary skill and mindset to succeed is the most likely scenario where you will. 

This past weekend I was given the opportunity to observe some of the best networkers in the world at the Formula 1 Grand Prix - an event where international stars from every trade and industry come together to enjoy a great sporting event, but also to network within the prestigious Paddock Lounge. 

Here, you can find your next big break simply if you talk to the right person. 

What I noticed about great networkers is they do three things:

1 / They make sure everyone knows who they are;

2 / They make sure everyone knows they are important; 

3 / The make sure everyone knows what they do and it’s either an intriguing field they are in, or someone who can benefit the other person’s business in some way. 

Easier said than done of course, but once you notice the tactics of great networkers, you can start trying out these tactics yourself. Don’t ever think that you are in a boring industry and that there’s nothing intriguing about your line of work. This weekend I was taught how Pepsi bottles are made, and even how Cheetos were made in factories, and each of those stories were fascinating. 

Did you know that Pepsi bottles originally come in little pellets and the production line then blows “air” into these pellets to turn them into full-sized bottles?

OR,

Did you know that Cheetos, after they are processed into the shape that they are, are then shot through a “waterfall” of cheese and flavour mix, travel through the rest of the production line to “dry”, and then dropped into bags to be sealed? 

I was educated on how a safety car works on the Grand Prix track, and again, it’s a little piece of knowledge I will take away and a key to make me remember the other person. 

What about your every day job can be interesting to other people? Things you overlook as mundane daily tasks can be fascinating. What story do you tell at dinner parties? Try each of them out and see what the crowd response it. We all need a way to attract the attention of others, only then can you follow up on to have the one-on-one conversation that could matter tremendously to your career and/or your business. 

Get started by looking for a few stories from your work life that subtly flaunts how interesting and awesome you are. Without overtly selling yourself, you are engaging your listeners through storytelling and making yourself memorable.

Then you go get ‘em.