Brave

I used to be the shy, retiring type.

But I’m not quite like that any more.

I’m comfortable in being “out there” as in I don’t have a problem writing a LinkedIn post and expressing a particular feeling or point of view.

I’m even more emboldened nowadays and open to talking to strangers in a line-up or networking event!

Sometimes I wonder if I’m taking it a little too far about being “out there.”

For example, I wanted to reach out to people in my LinkedIn network and wish them a “Happy New Year.”

At first it was easy, I sent out messages to friends whom I’ve exchanged messages with in 2016.

And then it became harder.

There are people in my network who I’ve reached out to in 2016 and received no response.

We don’t know what’s going on in people’s lives, so it could be a matter that it’s not me, it’s them; or maybe they have left the LinkedIn platform.

I throw caution to the wind and I send a “Happy New Year” greeting to people I haven’t heard from in awhile.

And my intention is: “Hey, let’s re-connect!”

Every year I fundraise and walk in the Terry Fox Run, which raises money for cancer research.

I become quite the behemoth when it comes to helping the Terry Fox Run.

The Terry Fox Run has an online fundraising tool.

All I need to do is enter a prospect’s e-mail address and the tool will send out a solicitation e-mail on my behalf.

If I don’t hear from the prospect, I will send a personal e-mail and say that I am X% away from my fundraising goal, and could they help me reach my goal with a donation?

My limit is to usually contact a prospect twice; however, if I know someone well (and they have sponsored me before), I’ll contact them a third time.

I always thank everyone who sponsors me. I thank them twice. The first time is when they make a donation. The second time I send a “debriefing” e-mail after the Run where I tell my sponsors how long it took me to complete the Run, how much I raised in total and I thank them for their support once again.

I’m really proud that in 2016, my sponsors and I raised $1005 for the Terry Fox Run!  

Every time I send out more than one e-mail to a prospect, I think about whether I’m being a pest, but I throw caution to the wind and send the e-mail anyway.

I was inspired by Cory Galbraith’s post: “Be the One to Make the Move” to reach out to people I hadn’t heard from in awhile and send them a 2017 New Year’s greeting.  

Sometimes we just need to be brave and reach out to people even though we may be reluctant to do so. 

We need to say to ourselves to just do it sometimes. 

I love this song from Sara Bareilles called “Brave.”

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind” - Dr. Seuss

Originally Published on LinkedIn:  January 2, 2017
Image Credit: Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (http://whr.tn/1TWHEMV)