Numbers Game

Catching up on my social media feeds, I came across a video that touched me so deeply, I think it may have shifted my mindset. A guy in New York, coffee in one hand, phone in the other, recorded himself walking through Time Square dropping a little knowledge.

He said, “Success is equal to the amount of people you can touch [I’m paraphrasing. I watched the video once, many months ago].” The more people you come in contact with means more people are aware of you, the better your chances of succeeding.

It sounds incredibly simplified, but think about it: influencers on Instagram with 84.7k followers tell us what’s cool.

You write something semi-clever on Twitter about some current event, and 5 people chuckle. Someone with 119k followers steals your tweet, it goes viral, and Ellen posts a screenshot of it on her show. They’re yelling into a megaphone, and you’re whispering to an empty room.

204k subscribers on YouTube brings more eyes to your content, which in turn attracts advertisers to your channel, which puts extra cash in your pocket, which helps you create more, which brings more eyes to your content, and the cycle continues.

It’s not just about follower count on social. To see this work on a smaller scale, look at networking. By chance, someone you met at your dad’s 50th birthday party last July put you in contact with someone who needs someone with your qualifications. Now you’re working at a place you love, doing the things you enjoy.

In short, there is someone out there you could help. Someone out there could change your life, or vice versa. You just haven’t met yet. Get out there and make a new friend.