Seventy-three days until summer, 34 degrees overnight (still freezing), but by Monday it’s hitting the 70s and 80s for good—so get ready for Matt complaining about the heat. After sharing trivia about King Henry I getting reprimanded for long hair (1105), LaSalle claiming Louisiana for France (1682), and Jumbo the circus elephant arriving in the U.S. (1882), he dives into yesterday’s 7:30 AM networking event near Grand Central.

He’s a huge extrovert, but every time he shows up to these things, there’s that moment right outside—the cold start problem. Do I belong? Will I feel excluded? It’s like going to the gym when you don’t want to, but once you’re in, it’s better than great. He started talking to the guy at the coffee station who was super friendly—later learned he’d lost his father a few weeks prior but gave no indication of the grief he was carrying. The woman running the event? Number two employee at WeWork years ago, incredible personality, made him feel more welcomed than anywhere he didn’t technically belong.

Here’s the reminder: we connect on a human level, regardless of profession or background. The sooner you get one notch deeper than weather and traffic, the more opportunity for real affinity. And when he introduced himself, the head of the group asked him to speak at a different meeting on April 21st—depending on how that goes, maybe at this one too. Now he’s got a date certain to prep a short version of what will become a longer talk. That’s the game: create moments that force you to do the work. Even if he doesn’t join, the value is there.

The theme: doing things in spite of feelings to the contrary. When you know all it takes is getting your mind right and connecting, you’ll belong. And when you put yourself out there, opportunity comes. The question: What’s your opportunity that’s going to move you closer to where you want to be?

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