Energize your career by going live

When I lived in a small New Mexico town, I had lots of time to work on my business as well as my writing. There wasn't a lot to do in the evening and certainly networking was not an option in my small town.

Now that I'm in Seattle, I've launched a networking campaign. I started tentatively because "you're supposed to do this." Being an extravert, I now have to hold back. In fact, I just dropped out of a couple of groups.

My biggest surprise is the impact of networking on my Internet activity. Just being around lots of people changed my energy. My ideas are better. Because I'm in contact with my target market, I pick up their vibes. I wish I weren't stuck with some things I started in New Mexico: changing a brand and image has turned out to be harder than expected.

In her book The Artists Way, Julia Cameron wrote about the way creativity feeds on being with people. Although readers have become more skeptical about Julia Cameron's messages (especially if they read her memoir), her ideas are sound. Arists paint each other. Writers talk.

So when a business or career gets stalled, I now recommend getting out and talking to lots of people. Not the boring, dreary, must-have networking, but being around stimulating people and events. Not just shaking hands, but listening to live performances in theatres, concert halls and bookstores. Screens just don't generate the same energy, even if they're big.