Jeff Wang Blog

I met a person today from the internet.

Is that weird?

His name is Ben Peters, and he is sort of a mini-celebrity to me. We initially met through Quora, a writing platform where people engage in conversations in Q&A. I contacted him to discuss career planning because he runs a company called Millenial Commute that helps millennials with career and college advice.

He happened to be in Richmond for a short two days for his business, and we decided to meet up for a quick chat.

In my “Ted Talk”, one of the key topics I discussed and tried to relay to my high school was the importance of meaningful connections. Whether in business or just in life in general, it’s helpful to know that you have a strong network of people who you can rely on and ask for support when you need to fall back onto that net.

So, is it creepy that I voluntarily met up with someone I knew from the internet?

Maybe…

But to me, I was creating a meaningful connection. Ben is doing a lot of great work and is only a few years older than me. I can definitely see myself pursuing a career path that is similar to what he is currently pursuing, and I know that he is someone I can look to for inspiration and guidance. Heck. His business is just that: career coaching and guidance.

Everyone starts off as a stranger, and that’s what makes creating connections so interesting. Anyone in the world, who may be a stranger now, could be a potential strong connection and friend. I am glad that Ben was willing to meet up and offer me advice, and I hope I can keep this connection and continue to learn from him as a friend.

“Spend your life doing strange things with weird people”

Gratitude Day 5: I am grateful for the unconditional kindness of strangers; people who open the door, say “Thank you” and “Please”, and internet people.

Yes. I am short. Thanks for noticing.