“You can’t expect to achieve your goals without interacting with, and receiving help and/or cooperation of other people” Robert Ringer

Six degrees of separation is the idea that all people are six or fewer social connections away from each other. We live in a very small, interconnected world. We are all likely to encounter the same people more than once. Life is challenging enough as it is. Burning bridges is self sabotage-the equivalent of punching yourself in the face. People who burn bridges unsurprisingly find themselves isolated, bitter and lonely.

Your reputation is by far the most valuable asset you have, particularly in the Internet Age. Your reputation not only follows you, it precedes you as well. Repairing your reputation is much more difficult than maintaining it. You will never know when you’ll find yourself in a situation where you need the kindness of someone else. The person you dismissed or took for granted may be the person who can rescue you when you find yourself in a vulnerable position. Don’t be a bridge burner, you may need to cross that river again. Onward and upward.