Thursday Thoughts: What Are the Odds?

What are the odds of that happening again? Even if they're infinitesimal, I'm sure other bettors will be looking for ways to make it happen for themselves.

This whole scenario plays to my reasons for accepting nearly all invitations I receive to link on social media, because I think the odds are stacked in my favor.

Friends have said, "Susan -- you could get scammed! Some of the profiles are fake. Why do they want to link to you? What's in for you to accept?"

The questions go on and on.

What the odds that I would be taken in? Really small, honestly. I do check the profile, I check the number of connections that person has, I check to see if we have any mutual ones. If nothing rears its ugly head, I say sure. Why not? I figure the odds are 1 in maybe 1000 (maybe 1 in 5000 -- maybe even higher) that someone would be targeting me for something that could hurt.

But let's flip that around, shall we? I have always seen the proverbial glass as overflowing (neither half-empty nor half-full), and since I continue to see the world with an abundance mindset, I see the odds as 999 to 1 (or 4999 to 1) in favor of it working out just fine.

For me, yes, in some ways it's a numbers game. The more connections I have, the more chances I have to help them -- if they want and need it -- with what I know about American grammar and usage, and the more chances I have for helping their connections as well, right? Gaining clients from it is a consideration, but honestly: I am happy knowing that someone wanted to connect and might learn something that may help them succeed.

And there's a third flip-side to this two-headed coin (at least for me): Every time I check out someone's profile, I learn something.

Maybe that person wrote an article about a topic I'm curious about ... or never even considered. So I read it. Inevitably I learn.

Maybe that person commented on someone else's article, again about a topic I'm curious about. So I read it ... and I learn.

I understand that many prize quality over quantity, and that's obviously fine! But I do think my growing networks are full of high-quality people, even if I don't know them beyond the fact that we have a social media connection.

Warning: Blatant promotion here: I will meet about 65 connections for the first time at the third #NLV2019 (No Longer Virtual) event in Atlanta in February. I believe there are only 13 spots open. Check it out on Sarah Elkins' site.) The other 25 +/- I already met two years at the first NLV.

Let's talk about how connecting here helps each of us in our own unique way, OK?

Oh, a picture very much like that one above was in an article so well written by Jeff Ikler that I saw a week or so ago; you might like it, too!

What are your thoughts here? Share them with us, please. Let's continue to learn from each other! 

And if this article resonates with you, please share it, OK? Many thanks!

Do you like freebies? Curious about American grammar and usage? Then click HERE for a FREE copy of my booklet "Colons, Commas, and Dashes, Oh, My!"