Want to 10X Your Impact? Build Authentic Connections Through Service

I am quite blessed to have a lot of attention on my missions lately and the question I get asked over and over again is: "How did you do it?" Lots of news stories, blogs and podcast interviews with me tend to include some form of reference to how "one person can change the world." There is truth to that, but only if that one person can motivate others to join a journey and constantly re-energize until the finish line.

Where does that motivation come from?

As I reflect on my journey of building impact, one thing stands out: the power of cultivating a network of people that know, like, and trust me. Many assume that my outgoing nature or boundless energy played a role, or that residing in a supportive community was the key. However, the truth is much simpler.

It all began with my commitment to my children's activities – coaching soccer teams, volunteering at their schools. These actions weren't driven by ambition but by love. Through these involvements, people got to know me.

Similarly, my involvement with nonprofits and service organizations wasn't about networking; it was about genuine support and championing causes close to my heart. Again, people got to know me – and, more importantly, they grew to like and trust me.

Bob Burg and John David Mann 's quote from "The Go-Giver" beautifully encapsulates this concept: "By a network, I don't necessarily mean your customers or clients. I mean a network of people who know you, like you, and trust you... They're your army of personal walking ambassadors."

Practical examples of how an army of ambassadors helps launch and grow one person's vision:

• When I started my first mission, the Curing Retinal Blindness Foundation (CRB1.org) to bring treatment options to children with #CRB1 blindness, I found myself surrounded by an army of accidental ambassadors from the teams I had coached and families I got to know at the elementary school.
• My mission grew to speaking and books, and people in the organizations I supported were the biggest champions to connect me to opportunities to share my message.
• As I am building the newest addition to the mission, Thriving Blind Academy , I am finding myself surrounded by local and national service organizations, community building initiatives and many others that are jumping in to help this work succeed - all folks I have added value to over the years.
• Folks in that picture above and so many others from a business association in my town are making it a personal mission to help get my feature film into the world.

And one of the best parts of all of the above is the cheering and celebrating with me and my teams and my kids all along the way.

I firmly believe the first step to success is being of service and creating authentic connections. If you scroll through my connections, you'll see I surround myself with others that believe in this as well. Most started like me, with no intention other than to serve.

I encourage each of you to get involved in your local community or with a mission that matters to you. Start being of service, and watch how the ripple effect of your actions creates positive change.

If this was an #EyeOpener for you, please share it to enlighten others and check out my blog here.