Relationships

I had the privilege of sharing a big ski house with a diverse group of friends last week. Each of them is important to me but they do not know each other well. It has been incredibly satisfying to see people that I care deeply about get to know one another. I love being a connector and building strong ties with people.  

One of the things we teach in our leadership class is that the quality of life can be measured by the quality of relationships. These relationships, however, must be curated, and friendships must be nurtured. It takes some effort to be the nexus of a network of people.

Each of you can probably name your closest friends. I hope that you talk to them all the time. But it is the second-order relationships that add flavor to the gumbo of life. You will never regret extending an invitation, making a phone call, or sending a text.

Many of us are stuck in a relationship rut. Focused on ourselves, we are convinced that we don’t have time for others. We do the same things day after day with the same people. We are boring. It is time to try something different and make an investment in expanding your relationship set. The rewards are tremendous. Ask my friends on the slopes this week.