What is your goal on Linkedin?

Friends, I know this might be a bit shocking, but the question is, "Do you have a goal on Linkedin?"

I have 1,100 Linkedin connections, and I think I know the goal of only 3 or 4 people. They are entrepreneurs who use Linkedin to collaborate and develop new business or joint ventures.

Now, if you're on Facebook, it might be "permitted" to NOT have a goal since it's a social thing. At least for now.

But if we agree that Linkedin is for professionals and business people, it might be useful to have a goal or at least some kind of clear intention as to what you use Linkedin for. Sharing that intention with all or some of your connections, will then invite them to transparently collaborate with you for mutual benefit.

From my perspective, here's what a clear intention or goal does: it bring one out of the proverbial comfort zone, into the LEARNING ZONE.

The difference between the comfort zone and the learning zone, is like the difference between playing tennis just for fun (without counting points) and playing tennis competitively (in which case you need to deliberately practice and even get a coach).

One thing I do notice, is that one goal (perhaps not the main one but the most obvious one) many Linkedin users have is to amass as many connections as possible.

This is good, no harm in expanding one's network. It's a bit like buying stock options.

The question is, what is the goal you set, once (or while) you've built a network of 1,000+ connections?

What do you want to do with all these wonderful people?

And what do they want to do with YOU? What do they expect from you?

2 connections have sent me a wonderful letter (and to all their connections too, of course) explaining what they do for a living, and inviting me to do likewise.

This is a great idea, and I invite all my 1,100 connections to subscribe to this blog for this is where I share my work with Linkedin users.

What about you? What do you INTEND to do with all your Linkedin connections?

I submit that the best use of one's time on Linkedin, is to share one's expertise on Linkedin Answers.

I did precisely that, and soon became the #1 career advisor on Linkedin. This led to a contract worth $10,000 where I developed and delivered a custom workshop on Ideal Career Discovery.

So I know from personal experience how sharing one's knowledge can lead to amazing things (I mean, $$$!).

I will write more about how you can do this, too.