Don't Burn Your Bridges

I had a client last Thursday tell me that the deeper I get into business and dealing with a wider variety of people there was one thing that I needed to stay cognizant of every day. Don't burn your bridges. Immediately I drilled him about laying a cliche on me when I thought he was going to have something good to say. Obviously he did because it's the following Tuesday morning and I'm still thinking about it. I got to thinking about why there's any value in keeping "bridges". Especially the ones you know you NEVER want to cross again or maybe you shouldn't have even been there to cross in the first place! Well, than I started thinking about what if you had to cross that bridge again..I'd have to rebuild it or take my chances crossing a destroyed bridge. I may have to swim or climb around whatever that bridge was gaping. Either way, I'll have to apply way more work than if I hadn't burned that bridge at all. And I think this is where it all clicked for me, this morning. I'll see him today and give him my perspective. Everyone you come across HAS ability to provide some sort of value to your life. In some way. Everyone you come across CAN provide some sort of value to your life. In some way. Relationships matter. Relationships are your bridges. Relationships that are valued and kept right can help you grow, develop product, market yourself, make better sales, give you direction and maybe most importantly, learn. So when it comes down to it. If you don't mind swimming, climbing, rebuilding or taking your chances crossing a fucked up bridge, than go for it! Burn that sucker right down. Never look back. But understand you may have just lost value that could be useful if you need to come back that way.. Or you can leave the bridge, let it sit and possibly provide value to other people. At that point you've lost nothing and all that can happen is the bridge will rot and fall on its own. Relationships matter. Relationships are your bridges. Kick ass and be productive today.