Listening, Networking and Finding Deep Inner Peace: TED Talks & Social Networking

Like many of us, I have enjoyed the gift of establishing a network of connections with a wide range of folks around the country, and around the world through the omnipresent infrastructure of the internet. For our parents, their input was limited by physical proximity...ours is not. Every day, most of us receive input from our own personalized information system. Many of my connections are biological - living folks sifting through their own structures, and sending items along, either directly or through their blogs or other constructs. I also use automated tools - blog readers, keyword searches, and other 'content sifters'. This sifted information influences my reality, and who I am, since who I am evolves in a 'dance' with the inputs available to me. I had a teacher once who said 'be careful who you listen to' for just this reason. In our new socially networked world, we now get to create 'who and what we listen to' in a powerful new way!

Recently I have been even more enamored and curious about social networking as it relates to our yoga studios, so I am paying more attention to my own input through these channels. This talk, Stroke of Insight: Jill Bolte Taylor on TED.com, was sent to me by at least 6 diverse players in my personal network. Folks who don't usually send material over (they are mostly not in that role, they are just too busy). How fascinating, if we want to promote something, to notice how promotable a talk is that so deeply touches our wants, desires, connections as human beings. If you have not yet watched the video, just go watch. It will be the most moving 18 minutes you've spent in a long time. Then, give some thought to 2 things:

1. Do you have a message that merits awareness and promotion? Without merit (in whatever context you choose to engage) you will not have the emerging social network opportunities available to you. These networks are ruthless in recognizing value (which is defined in the background, and ONLY in the context of the network!)

2. What are you doing to enhance your social network and your own, personalized information 'funnel'? Your 'edge' is a function of your connections. And your connections have to be growing and 'informed by' the ever changing flow of the market. You must be participating in the networks that are emerging if you want to benefit from them.

Which structures do you use to create your personal information 'funnel'? Blogs? Searches? Facebook friends? Share the most powerful ones in the comments.