The List You Need Most to Achieve Your Goals

Posted on July 2nd, 2009 by Keith Ferrazzi

to-do-list_1This is an exercise you can do right now. So get out a sheet of paper and ask yourself:

Who are the 75 people who are most important to your success and joy? This is the barest essential of what I call a Relationship Action Plan. The list should be some combination of people you already know, and those you need to get to know.

Start writing! If you run out of names, start thinking about the types of people you need to know – what I call “constituencies” – and then work backward from those constituencies to add names to your list, or knock ones off as your list grows and you need to prioritize. For example: If your goal is self-publish online, one constituency might be “Successful online self-publishers.” Then all you need is some internet research to help fill in the blanks.

Once you’ve got your list, give each of the people on it an intimacy rating from 1-5. If most of them are at 0s or 1s, you know you’ve really got some work to do to build those relationships into the kind that will contribute more deeply to your success.

But even if all you do is make the list, I guarantee you it will evolve the way you think about your outreach – whether you’re doing enough and targeting the right people.

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15 Responses so far | Have Your Say!

  2. Keith,

    I love this concise and inspiring post!

    Here's a versatile spreadsheet template for people to use to track the list of people most important to them:

    http://tr.im/CRMtemplate

    I welcome any thoughts on how to improve this template.

    Will also consider how to integrate the "Intimacy Score" you suggested.

    Thanks and looking forward to reading your new book!

  3. Thanks Keith!

    As a fundraiser, I do this all the time with donor prospects. But it makes even more sense to do it for my life goals!

  4. Great exercise Keith !

    We also do a variant on this one. Maybe the most important difference is that we also add a column: how did you get in touch with this person?

    This also gives insight in who are the "centers of influence" in your professional (and personal) life. For many people it is surprising to notice who they are.

    Keep up the good work and see you at the NSA convention in Phoenix !

    Jan

  5. Paul Swanson says:
    July 7, 2009 at 3:49 am
    Reply

    Thanks for the spreadsheet. I downloaded the spreadsheet and I will figure out how many Linkedin folks should be on it, family, friends, etc.

    It will for me help with the identification and organization of the people I need to surround myself with to get my non-fiction book published.

    I have started Keith's book and it has been quite surprising in forcing me to look at people through a different lense. This was a helpful blog.
    Paul Swanson

  6. Keith, this is gold. A simple yet powerful tool.

  7. Keith,
    I love this tip. Why? because it is simple, to the point and impactful.

    thank you,
    Barbara

  8. Ernest Sickenberger says:
    July 7, 2009 at 6:30 am
    Reply

    Keith:

    I enjoyed reading this posting very much. I attempt to make a somewhat intimate connection of all those I meet...especially those I meet during 'USC Networking Events'.
    Was worried I had been trying 'to hard', to make an unforeseen connection relevant. This let me know that Business success is all about the beneficial relationships you make while on your journey.

    So I will continue with my making beneficial relationships

  9. Insightful approach. Have felt this way for a long time. Who wants lunch?!

    Jay

  10. Sergio Chávez says:
    July 7, 2009 at 3:16 pm
    Reply

    Great idea Keith, thanks a lot!!!!

    Sergio

  11. Sergio Chávez says:
    July 7, 2009 at 3:20 pm
    Reply

    Thanks to George Kao for the spreadsheet!!!!

    Sergio

  12. You are so right about the power of making the list. In writing mine, I realized that after spending the last 2 years as a hermit writing my doctoral dissertation (ironically in Communication,) I am out of touch with too many people. I just put together an Evite for a lunch for 12 buddies.

  13. Now just take the list and combine it with some follow up
    - send cards, meet for coffee or lunch, whatever it takes...
    It's the small things that mean a lot- I know that whenever I get a handwritten card in the mail it really makes me feel special and cared about.

    If you have clients that are a great source of referrals, then include them on your list and be sure to thank them somehow.

    Another thing is just grabbing the phone and calling people to say you were thinking about them and have been just wondering how they are doing and what's up

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