Are you familiar with Tony Robbins, the motivational speaker, author, and life coach? He talks about our core human needs and how valuing and sequencing them can shape our life's direction.

Understanding these needs and the role of networking can help you achieve clarity and focus on your purpose.

At 'Your Time Matters', we design business networking events to support your journey, helping you connect with the right people and resources to align with your goals, but how you value and sequence them determines the direction your life take.

Our founder, Kerryn Powell, wrote a book, Two Ears, One Mouth and a Big Heart and some of this blog is extracted from chapter 3- Clarity and focus.

Understand your core needs

There are many books and videos you can access by Robbins, but I would like to touch on some key points. He identifies the needs as follows:

• Certainty/Comfort: the need to feel in control and know what’s coming next. We want to feel secure and safe. It affects how much risk we are willing to take in all areas of our life. The higher the need for certainty, the less risk we are willing to endure.

• Uncertainty/Variety: the need for variety and surprise, adventure, challenges, excitement and change. The first two needs work with each other and can be in or out of balance. This is where surprises and problems can stem from. Our ability to experience and manage the discomfort of uncertainty affects our capacity to change and grow through our lives.

• Significance: the need to feel important, special, noticed and needed, worthy of respect and affection. This need is driven by innate responses to life experience, good and bad, and our interaction with others.

• Love and Connection: the need for communication and attachment, to feel connected with other human beings. I believe no one achieves anything alone; we are all different, but we are all human, and the need to be connected in some way to others is in our DNA.

• Growth: The need for ongoing emotional, intellectual and spiritual development. If you are not growing in some way you are unlikely to experience a sense of wellbeing and fulfilment. When we grow, we give and, even in small ways, contribute to the wellbeing of others.

• Contribution: The need to give, care, protect and help others. When you care, connect and share with others, you experience a bigger and better life.

Robbins says these six needs explain why we act or are motivated to act in particular ways. He defines the first four needs - certainty, variety, significance, love and connection - as needs of our personality, whilst growth and contribution are identified as needs of the spirit. The way we experience these needs day to day directs our decisions and behaviours as we fulfil our needs in a constructive or destructive way. Robbins concludes:

‘Life is really about creating meaning. And meaning does not come from what you get, it comes from what you give. Ultimately, it’s not what you get that will make you happy long term, but rather who you become and what you contribute that will.’ (2)

Contribute in your own way

There are many people within my network who have made an impact on my life and are continuing to influence and change the lives of others. They have all been prompted to contribute in their own way and take action.

A common denominator is that they have all been very clear about what they had to do and the outcome they were after. To make progress in our lives we need clarity and focus. We need to figure out what is important to us personally and/or professionally, then focus our vision and set our goals accordingly.

Some people may choose to live a simple life and define that by enjoying a morning walk, having breakfast with their partner, listening to music, taking up a course, watching or playing sport, choosing to pick up a book and read it or not. Others may choose to only work a few hours a week and volunteer their spare time to projects they care about. Then there are those who strive to excel in academia or entrepreneurship, to travel, or live overseas, or follow a corporate pathway. Many seek to live a life committed to supporting others or causes that align with their view of the world.

There is no right or wrong—it is your choice how you spend your time. What I hope is that you realise that you do have choice and that you make your time matter by consciously taking control of your direction.

Consider the impact on community if people moved away from WIIFM (what’s in it for me) and moved to a place of WDCIM (what difference can I make). Through our networks we can start a ripple effect and help not only ourselves achieve our goals but make a difference to the lives of others.

First up though, you need to get clear on what really matters to you and aligns with your values. This crucial step will help bring the pathway to achieving your vision into focus. A large part of helping you gain clarity and focus is determining your drivers and having the support network you need.

Networking fulfils our human needs

Networking fulfils all of our core human needs. I have talked about the benefits of networking many times but here is a recap of the core benefits; I cannot emphasise strongly enough the potential for you to change your business and life experience by fully participating in networking events driven from the heart.

• Building networks connects us with others and allows us to find the support we need if we invest in creating relationships with those we know, like and trust. These relationships provide security, reassurance, predictability and sufficient certainty to work out how to cope with matters beyond our control.

• Having a diverse network enriches our lives and expands our horizons and understanding of the world and those in it. It creates room for constructive uncertainty and variety; it creates room to grow.

• Through networking we can make significant contributions that help others in meaningful ways. We can provide knowledge and experience, and therefore we can add value. We can help others feel supported and less alone. The feeling of satisfaction derived from helping others is irreplaceable; the sense of fulfilment spills over into every aspect of our lives.

• Networking provides opportunities for us - and others - to acknowledge our unique qualities. It meets our essential need for connection with people who understand us and respect who we are.

All our relationships play a part

We inevitably operate in more than one network and all our relationships play a part in helping us to achieve goals and be who we are.

Depending on your stage of life or employment, not all be a priority for you right now. As you read these definitions, think about which networks you already engage in and which networks you want to build.

• Personal networks—built often through friends, family or shared activities and common interests. They give us a sense of belonging by connecting us into our social communities and help us to find and access the resources we need to participate in daily life. They are often the networks we rely on in our leisure time or connect us through our children: social dinners with friends, walks on the beach, attending sporting events, cycling, gym, book clubs.

• Operational networks—focus on business and concentrate on processes related to running a business. They may include teams within an organisation where team engagement will improve the customer experience, or connections external to a business who provide essential services. Investing time and effort in leveraging the knowledge and experience within the silos or department within an organisation, also with those from complimentary industries and groups, is beneficial.

• Referral networks—focus on a closed loop of professionals from non-competing industries who seek out transactions and gain leads. Of course, we all benefit from referral networks, as suppliers, clients, referrers and friends. However, if we only focus on referral networking, we are missing out on the rich resources available to us to transform and enhance our personal and professional lives by overlooking the value of deeper relationships.

• Strategic networks—focus on business direction and the stakeholders needed to achieve desired outcomes. Often under-utilised, a strategic network is based on relationships that help you to plan for your career, business and future. It requires both time and attention outside routine, operational demands to keep abreast of important trends in industry and helps you to build and maintain your reputation and profile.

I’m very clear about my networks and focus.

By thinking beyond myself and recognising that we all have an opportunity to make a difference, I know that when I reach out to like-minded people, together we can learn, share and engage. The diverse personalities, perspectives, knowledge and experience unearths invaluable wisdom, and we all expand our opportunities. We benefit from extending ourselves enabling us to reach our full potential, and even start a ripple effect, make an impact and achieve our goals. I call on these networks to support my business community.

YTM focuses on creating an environment that aims to meet the needs of the group, providing insights on business development, accessing knowledge and supporting and encouraging interaction between the genders.

Our insights provide an opportunity to learn from guest speakers who not only offer professional and personal development, but also form the basis of many conversations about the challenges of running a business in the context of personal wellbeing and family life. The different perspectives provide valuable opportunities to learn from each other and to develop interpersonal skills and understandings.

Get clear on what really matters to you

You need to identify with clarity the key components of your preferred life, what kind of relationships you need to sustain you and how you can build from your current situation to where you want to be. Take some time to answer these questions:

• How well do you know yourself? Have you determined your values? What do you stand for?

• Who do you choose to surround yourself with in your personal and business life? Are these relationships healthy, ethical and mutually beneficial?

• How can you continuously remind yourself of all you are grateful for and show your appreciation to the people who make a difference in your life?

• Can you identify three things you are passionate about and immerse yourself in?

• How would you like to make a difference? What impact would you like to have?

Once you have answered these questions, have a think about your priorities and the gaps you may have found.

Are you very clear about what matters to you?

Where will your focus be and what outcomes do you desire?

Our theme or topic is August, 2024 at Your Time Matters, is Clarity and focus. We have invited guest speakers to share their perspectives and wisdom. Check out the details of the sessions with Sue Mathieson, who will share- Exit Strategies Unveiled: Selling, Scaling or Staying and Janine Garner, “It’s who you know” and consider joining us for lunch in person, where conversations and connections unearth hidden opportunities.

Be clear- the team at Your Time Matter business networking community are here to support you on your journey through business and life, because we know your time matters.

Hello, I am Kerryn Powell, The Network Catalyst and founder of Your Time Matters and podcast host of Conversations and connections to amplify and inspire. I am a connection strategist, conversation starter and network catalyst who thrives on building communities and creating the right connections for those seeking strategic allies to make a positive impact through connection, contribution and community.

I draw on my diverse career portfolio, experience, skills and knowledge to encourage, support and empower business owners, professionals, teams and individuals to create true connection through authentic conversations that build real relationships, boost confidence and generate business and opportunities.

Since 2013, I have provided opportunity for more than 3000 business owners to engage in real life and online events through her business, Your Time Matters. BOOK a discovery call TODAY, and let’s have a conversation to see how I can help you find , start or improve your business networking,

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