And the rule in life that has unprecedented power is that the individual who knows the right people, for the right reasons, and utilizes the power of these relationships, can become a member of the “club,” whether he started out as a caddie or not.

Samuel Beckett wrote, “Fail, fail again. Fail better.

I remind myself how people with a low propensity for success whose behavior is guided by fear, have a low propensity for success.

Nothing infuriates reporters and editors more, I’m told, than to get a pitch from someone who clearly has no idea what their publication is about or who their audience is.

Relationships are all there is. Everything in the universe only exists because it is in relationship to everything else. Nothing exists in isolation. We have to stop pretending we are individuals that can go it alone. – MARGARET WHEATLEY.

Competitive edge in the industrial era was won by constantly reengineering process and systems. Today it’s won by improving relationships.

Hi, this is Keith Ferrazzi. I’m just calling back because I haven’t heard from Michael.” Here again, without being too pushy, you begin to create the presumption that his return call is imminent and expected.

Touching is a powerful act.

Pick the three most interesting points about your story and make them fast, make them colorful, and make them catchy.

Lifetime corporate employment is dead; we’re all free agents now, managing our own careers across multiple jobs and companies. And because today’s primary currency is information, a wide-reaching network is one of the surest ways to become and remain thought leaders of our respective fields.