In a few months, I am going to need a lawyer who will represent my interest without going behind my back. If he goes behind my back, I can lose all my life savings. I cannot find such a professional from open market. I have to have powerful friends who care about me to find such a professional.
[question 1] I’ve been around a couple of powerful or rich people. They usually seem to like me. But I am not very good at being open. My initial reaction when people invite me to doing things, directly or indirectly, is to say no or to maintain my distance… because deep down that is what I want. So I gotta change what I want, somehow, but how?
[question 2] There was an ex member of parliament who kinda invited me to his office or something almost two decades ago. I don’t remember what he said but it was about him telling me/us he is open to communication despite us not initiating anything. We were both speakers at an event. I was a kid. What would be a good way to approach him now lol? I want to get his opinion on a complex situation. He is a wealthy politician so he might have the answer I need. I am someone who is trying to protect his interest against a big corporation, with no connections.
[question 3] What can I offer to powerful people? How do you make friends with them? I am not particularly funny. I don’t make people around me feel better by being funny or validating or something. I am interesting, respectable, happy ish. My company is chill, and not that fun…
This is the answer.
How do you get there? Well, there’s country clubs, having your kids at the same expensive riding club, being a board member for the same orgs as them… but those are all expensive.
Cheaper ways? Faith based groups, dog walking and… attending conferences.
All of them require you to reach out to them as people, ask about their lives, and actively listen to their responses. People generally don’t want to hear anything about you, so you don’t have to be that open.
That’s all I gotta do?