Relationships: One Of The Best Investments

"Saying hello doesn't have an ROI. It's about building relationships."

- Gary Vaynerchuk

A few years ago my girlfriend and I were at a Valentine's Day party with her family. At the party, there was a very interesting competition. The host went around asking every couple a few questions about each other. She typically asked the female first a list of 15 questions and then asked the male the same questions to see which couple really knew each other. The couple with the most matching answers would become the winning couple. 

At the time, my girlfriend and I were only dating for a few years and we were competing against couples that have been married for more than 30 years. The questions didn't seem too difficult:

• Where did you and your significant other meet?
• What is her/his favorite color?
• What is her/his favorite food?
• Where was your first kiss?

To make a long story short, my girlfriend and I won the competition. We only missed one question. What was more surprising though, was that many married couples only answered a few questions correctly. That particular game almost ruined a few marriages!

When one thinks about investments, certain things come to mind first: money, stocks, real estate, etc. However, not too many people see relationships as an investment. Relationships come in all types, forms and sizes. You might have a strong relationship with your co-workers, a weak relationship with your boss and a fair relationship with your husband. Whatever the case is, most of life is built around relationships. 

Take some time to really develop relationships with the people around you. It's an investment that can't lose. Don't think about what you'll be getting from the relationship or what type of return you will be getting. The benefits might not come until much later. In fact, some relationships will disappear. However, you might not know what type of impact you can have on someone else's life. To me, that's an investment worth my time. 

Any thoughts?

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