First the good news.

If we want to build a powerful network, we can. There are systems and techniques galore to help us succeed. We can attend the events, make the calls, meet for coffees, send the notes, pass the referrals, and, in general, keep an eye out for the people in our network. In return we will build that web of interconnecting relationships which will allow us to succeed in our lives both personally and professionally.

Now for the bad news.

It never ends.

Anyone who wants to become a good networker has to realize that creating a strong network is a journey, not a destination. This means that all of those activities I mentioned? They have to continue for as long as we want to have our connections. By choosing this path, we are choosing a fundamental change in our lives for the long term. As long as we are comfortable with that, we can continue to succeed.

For some people, this really is bad news. They want to do their networking when they need the results. When they make the sale, they want to be done with it. No more attending events. No more conversations with strangers. No more begging for the results they want from people they don't care about.

For others, though, the "bad news" is a joyous responsibility. Just think of a life of meeting new people, making new friends, and being continually surprised and fascinated and inspired by the people in your life. Not a bad way to live, right?

So which kind of networker are you?

Greg Peters, founder of The Reluctant Networker LLC, writes, speaks and coaches about good networking practice. For more tips that can help your connections count, go to 52-tips.thereluctantnetworker.com.