99% of Networking Is a Waste of Time
by Volker Weber
"Everyone gets this wrong. They try to look right and sound right and end up being completely forgettable. I’m having a ball just being myself. I don’t wear suits or anything like that. I do not care about first impressions. I’d almost rather make a bad first impression and let people discover me over time than go for an immediate positive response. Curiously, research I read years ago suggests that you build a stronger bond over time with someone who doesn’t like you immediately compared to someone who does. Everything about Jack Nicholson is wrong, but all of the wrong together makes something very cool."
Comments
I suppose the trick is to identify the valuable 1%.
I think that statement is self referential, it's almost worthless. Certainly doesn't challenge me to spend more time reading. Maybe if that were the opening statement rather than a closing one I'd compare it to Rich Stromback's bad first impression. Probably best to focus on what Stromback actually says than what Greg McKeown thinks he said?
Jason, point taken. I exchanged the quote for something that strongly resonates with myself.
I also like that part much better than the first quote. In short: Be yourself. Don't try to be someone else. Long term relationships aren't built on deception.
No offence intended and I hope none taken. The original quote was the one where McKeown concludes 99% of life's experiences are worthless. I like the one you've replaced it with much better. Now more than at any other time I know who I am but perhaps I don't give people a chance to discover me, I don't get out enough :-) More positively the people that know me and like me are like gold dust and I love them.
Jason, no worries. You helped me find a better quote.
