You Have a Thousand Keys (But They’re Not for You)
Think about it like this.
You have a thousand keys to a thousand doors.
But they’re not your doors.
Most of us—if we’re honest—spend our lives trying to open doors for ourselves. Opportunity, advancement, success, progress. I get it. We feel the weight of our needs, our family’s needs, and our own dreams.
But that’s not what I’m talking about.
I’m talking about the thousands of keys you carry that can open doors for someone else.
And you don’t even know it.
Story Time
The Degrees of Connection Are Insane
I’m seeing it all the time.
I met a kid at a car wash who used to work for a friend of mine.
Another friend of mine met his wife through an employee who knew someone that had gone to his same college and set them up on a date.
We drastically underestimate the million intersecting cords of relationship that give rise to unlikely miracles every day.
I Always Longed for the Benevolent Upperclassman
In high school, I always longed for the benevolent upperclassman.
That older senior who’d throw his arm around me, call me up, invest in me, believe in me.
Never happened for me in that way.
But now—I am that person. We all are.
We have the chance to become the very thing we once wished someone would be for us. To see someone younger, newer, quieter—and make them feel chosen.
To hold out a key.
The Staggering Power of Connection
What happens when we open our eyes to this reality?
What happens when we begin to comprehend the staggering power of connection—and press into it?
This is how:
We give undivided attention to the people in our lives.
We listen with sensitive ears.
We listen for opportunities.
We listen for connections.
We listen for dreams.
Then we take the risk—
The risk to make the connection.
To connect people who don’t know each other.
To do it with a short blurb of context about why they could benefit to each other.
(Refer to my article about the Four Types of Connection.)
If Connection Is Your Kryptonite
Let’s be real.
If you’re someone for whom connection is Kryptonite, or an area of weakness, this might feel awkward, hard, or even draining. That’s okay.
Everyone can learn to improve the art of Connection. Everyone.
But Connectors will always do it more—and often, more naturally.
If you’re not a Connector, don’t try to become one. But do try to stretch a little.
You don’t have to host events or work a room. You just have to be willing to care enough to notice a door ... and hand someone a key.
How to Use Your Thousand Keys
You don’t need to overhaul your life.
You just need to be generous with your keys—
5-minute acts of connection that can open whole new worlds for people.
Here are some specific ways to start right now:
Text two people and say, “You two need to know each other. Here’s why…” Example: “Sarah runs a nonprofit for teen girls. Alex does creative video work for causes. Y’all should talk.”
Make a habit of asking, “What are you dreaming about right now?” Dreams need doors. Your keys might fit.
When someone shares a challenge, ask: “Want help brainstorming people who could help?” One question. That’s all it takes.
It’s Not Just for Them. It’s for You.
Here’s the secret: connection isn’t just a massive benefit to others; it also has amazing effects for you and your life.
When you make a meaningful connection for someone, it builds your confidence.
It strengthens your connection. It reminds you that your life matters—not just in what you achieve, but in what you unlock for others.
And over time, those keys you gave away?
They come back to you.
In surprising, beautiful ways.
A Thousand Keys. A Thousand People.
You have a thousand keys that could open someone else’s doors.
And there are a thousand people out there with keys to yours.
But we never know—
Because we don’t take the time to know each other.
To know what we dream about.
What we need.
What we long for.
This is how my brain works, but it’s the result of both my native disposition and many years of intentional experience.
Much of it can be learned.
Learn to be in awe.
Learn to see the hidden treasures in others.
Learn to see the beauty of connection.
Learn to appreciate its power.
Be Generous With Your Keys
Look for doors to open for other people.
Take the risk.
Make the connection.
Watch what happens.
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Quick Update on My Superpower Experiment!
As discussed here, Audrey Kerchner is helping me develop and execute a marketing program to help me sell 300 copies of my book. It's going well!
She has established a 30 minute weekly meeting cadence. My first meeting with her was quick and painless. She has an organized checklist of what she needs from me so she can do her thang.
She's building me a landing page and an email series for when I speak in front of groups. More about this later!