You Aren’t Alone: Choose Your Champions Wisely
Most of us hang out with dozens of acquaintances—LinkedIn pals, chat groups, casual contacts. But only a handful truly shape our career or creative journeys. Think back: who was there when you launched that side project? Who offered the game-changing intro or critique that pushed you over a milestone? These are your power allies.
Julia, a freelance illustrator, discovered this the hard way. She spent evenings ping-ponging among art-community chats, yet her portfolio barely gained traction. One day she listed every contact she’d leaned on professionally—about fifteen. Then, over cold coffee in her kitchen, she ranked who’d opened 80% of her opportunities. Two names topped the list: her college mentor who introduced her to a publisher, and a former client whose glowing review went viral. Everyone else clustered in the bottom ten.
Julia stopped scattering her energy on vast networks and instead deepened weekly check-ins with those two champions. She offered to help them with small tasks, shared exclusive sneak peeks, and asked for feedback on every new piece. Within months, her Instagram following exploded, and high-paying commissions rolled in. She even invited one ally to co-host a webinar for mutual audiences.
This works because deep alliances—just a few—multiply your impact more than a thousand shallow connections. When you prune low-yield ties, you free up time to co-craft bigger breakthroughs with your real champions. Invest in quality over quantity and watch your circle become a launchpad.
You’ll start by listing your ten closest allies—mentors, colleagues or friends—and ranking how much each has fueled your big wins. Next, carve out recurring one-hour sessions with your top two champions—lunches, coffee chats, or fortnightly calls—and swap updates and ideas. For those in the bottom half, graciously switch to lighter touchpoints, freeing time and mental space. Finally, reach out to two new people whose skills complement yours—drop a genuine note asking to exchange insights on one specific challenge. Give your circle a power boost this week.
What You'll Achieve
You’ll concentrate your energy on the few trusted allies who drive most of your progress, deepening four high-impact relationships, reducing peripheral ties by 50%, and increasing collaborative breakthroughs by up to 30%. Internally, you’ll feel more supported, and your confidence in tackling big goals will soar.
Build Your Power Circle
List your closest allies
Write down your top 10 trusted colleagues, mentors, and friends whom you turn to for advice on important matters.
Evaluate their impact
Rate each on how much their guidance, resources, or introductions have contributed to 80% of your progress.
Deepen key bonds
Schedule regular one-on-one check-ins—lunch, coffee, or calls—with the top two or three to co-create your next moves.
Prune weaker ties
Gently reduce time spent on low-impact relationships; reallocate those hours to your core champions.
Expand your core circle
Identify new prospects with complementary strengths and extend a specific invitation: “Can I pick your brain on X?”
Reflection Questions
- Who are the three people who have contributed most to your success so far?
- What unique strengths does each bring, and how can you offer more value to them?
- Which weaker ties could you gracefully let go to free up time for your power circle?
- Who is one new potential ally you admire, and what’s a specific reason to connect this week?
Personalization Tips
- An entrepreneur turned her high school debate coach into a board advisor, adding vital contacts in finance.
- A project manager set up a weekly call with two industry veterans who unlocked key vendor deals.
- A writer realized that ditching superficial networking boosted her writing coach time, tripling her publication rate.
The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More with Less
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