One of the attributes that clients consistently tell me they adore about me is that I’m a prolific and hopelessly passionate hunter-gatherer of all kinds of information. The thing about that is, when a client tells me that they wish or are looking for something, some little device gets triggered in my brain (almost unbeknownst to me) that matches that factoid with what I encounter in my daily or weekly rounds. Whenever there is a good match (or a close-enough one) an “alert” goes off to tell me that i need to send a URL or phone number or word to the person who needs it — whether I remember they said that or not!
Hunter-Gatherer Tribe, photo by ZoomStudio
I absolutely cannot tell you how this works, beyond what I just said. I don’t completely understand it myself! But I know that it’s one of the traits that endears me to friends and clients.
The other side of this, of course. would be if I used that talent to “push” products and services I believe WOULD help someone — if they had not previously expressed any interest whatsoever in it. For some unknown reason (for which I am continually grateful) — it doesn’t work that way with me. I draw a blank unless there has been a request “input.” Mercifully so, I suspect, for all concerned. Most of all me!
See, this is NOT my mission here, to be an information-matcher. At least I don’t think it is. It’s just something I do, that comes naturally to me. It’s easy, so why not? Could I build a business model around that? Oh, probably, if I had the time and inclination — which clearly i don’t.
But I have to warn you — do NOT tell me about things you’re seeking unless you really mean it, because you may just get what you asked for!
Do you know anyone like this? Or are you a hunter-gatherer too? Well, …wlcome to a very unusual club! (Wait. Maybe i could start a membership site for us. . . Oh, right. That will have to wait until I finish the other 27 things I already started.)