knowledge

This is a very simple step that many of us overlook for various reasons. We might fear that it is inappropriate. Or think that person is competition. Or feel it is a sign of weakness. Yet I have found this action of seeking out people who are experts or knowledgeable in the subjects I want to know more about to be a huge asset for many reasons.

It is not inappropriate. People love talking about themselves. I know I do. If someone wants to meet with me I definitely take the opportunity. If the person you are asking is smart enough, they will also recognize it as an opportunity to learn something themselves. It is human nature to want to help. Even in the smallest of ways.

So go and ask that person for a coffee and see where it takes you.

Since the day I started my own business I’ve thrown the notion of competition out the window. I don’t have time for that pettiness and neither should you. Those other people or businesses that have similar goals should be allies. You should be able to lean on each other with the end goal in mind. Period.

And never think you are showing weakness. Wanting to further your knowledge is not shameful. By wanting to meet others in your industry you are displaying a higher level of investment in it. No one will ever know everything and we can all learn something from one another. Even if the other person has a giant ego. You can still learn from them.

Overall you should strive to meet as many people as possible in whatever field or industry you want to be in. Most people are happy to talk but the worst they’ll say is no. Connecting with your competition can lead to bigger things. And seeking out established industry people will show your willingness to continue to learn. It will show you are willing to grow.

These simple actions will benefit you by way of straight knowledge. They will also put you in front of thought leaders and subject matter experts. It will plant a seed in their minds for future opportunity. It might not happen right away but you’ll be there in their subconscious. When the moment is right your name will come up in conversation. In the planning of a new product, as a person to collaborate with or in a recommendation to someone else.

Thus, the universe will present you with an opportunity.

Now, go. Get out there. Meet someone new.

This post is post is part of a bigger series called Let The Universe Know What You Want. See the other posts below:

• Seek Out Subject Matter Experts
• Let Your Passion Drive You

I have been very fortuanate to meet so many talented people in my life so far. One of those people is an Inuit man by the name of Sam.

Sam is about the same age as my dad and I first met him when I was 12 years old. He is from Bathurst Inlet, Nunavut; the small community south of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut with a small population and only two main families. For a while I went to Bathurst Inlet every summer as it also doubled as an eco-tourism lodge.

The Inuit culture is one I’m very honoured to learn more about as I have a huge amount of respect for them and their way of life. I have a special respect for Sam especially. He is a quite man with a large amount of patients and has an abundance of traditional knowledge.

I got to learn some of this knowledge when I asked Sam to help me build a komatik. A komatik is a large sled that is pulled by dog teams or snowmobiles. In certain Inuit dialects (ie the east) they are also called Adliaks, however I’m going to call it a komatik.

There is much to building a komatik. You must get all the supplies and then work the two runners by plaining then to make them as even as possible. Sam commented that the process takes a lot longer when you don’t have a “fancy electric plainer”.

Then of course there are the wholes you have to drill, cross pieces to cut and dwindle done. But where the real knowledge comes into play is the lashing. There is a true art to knowing how to properly lash together one of these sleds because that is all the is holding it together.