People often ask me questions about networking. How does one build connections? How does one build relationships? Should we go to Churchill Club meetings?

My advice: don’t do what others do. … be different …

Do what you like. Do what you have a passion in. Don’t do something just because others are going to it.

You love dogs? Get involved in helping dogs. I guarantee you’ll meet many more interesting people then if you force yourself onto the organizing committee for the hippest posh Atherton fundraiser.

Like when making decision to go to a lecture:
– are you going to be interested in the content?
– is the format of the meeting (like panel discussion with 200 people in attendance) conducive to your learning?
– is the cost of time (to travel there and attend) less than the benefit of what you learn?
– would you benefit more from listening to the lecture on your commute to work?

The rule: never go to an event just because you want to meet other people that will be there. Go because you are really interested in the content, you want to learn something, or you really believe in the cause.

I actually don’t go to tech conferences anymore. Though a lot of great people go, I rarely find the content useful and rarely learn much from the presentations. But I go to a lot of foreign policy conferences — because I tend to learn a ton there.

And only play golf if you really love golf. And I mean really love it. Don’t just do it because it is a thing to do. Don’t give into the fad or peer pressure. Make your own path. Don’t be a follower.

I’ve never played a game of golf in my life. I am planning on playing … on my 75th birthday …