Making connections is a key in life

I used to think having a huge online following was important to me. Granted, having those for business and finding friends in your space is nice. But I've learned over the past few years that local friends are invaluable, and I've met many of these just because we all enjoy the same sport.

I've seen the following graphic shared on social media by a few people, and it got me thinking about how my life is the reverse of this.

I have more close friends in my 40s than in high school. All because I enjoy playing golf. Not only do I get to spend hours outside, but we talk about things you'd never imagine bringing up on the internet for the world to see. Beyond the close connections, it also has enormous benefits in knowing people in a wide range of industries. 

Let me give you some examples of local friends:

My truck had a rattle, so I took it to the dealership; they spent 10 minutes looking and said it was fine. It wasn't! Then I took it to a friend who owned a garage, and he spent half his day finding it and fixing it.

One day, my eye was hurting, probably from too much computer time, but I have a friend who is an eye doctor, so I texted him for his opinion.

The heat or A/C goes out in my house. I've got a guy.

I now know someone in almost every industry in my community.

• Electrician
• Chiropractor
• Accountant
• Mortgage Broker
• Real Estate Agent
• Investment Adviser
• City Manager
• Banker
• Beer distributor

Of course, life isn't about what others can do for you but what you bring to the table. However, just by having friends, I've gotten free tickets to sporting events, concerts, and even vacations. ​

I'm mentioning all this because the older I get, the more I realize the importance of getting out of your comfort zone and meeting people. Most are actually nice.