We’ve all heard of “six degrees of separation”—the idea that any of us is only six introductions away from anyone else in the world. That number isn’t six anymore.

Facebook’s friend graph found the real number is closer to 3.57. In the U.S., it’s 3.46. X (Twitter, back then) ran its own study in 2019 and landed on 3.43. And that was six years ago. Imagine what it is now.

In other words, you’re not six people away from anyone—you’re less than four. That’s staggering. The potential market for new friends, clients, buyers, or sellers is basically at your fingertips. That’s not separation—that’s standing in line at Starbucks.

Researchers Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler, in their book Connected, proved how powerful this really is. They showed that every action—your words, your habits, even your mood—ripples outward through your network three degrees: to your friends, your friends’ friends, and your friends’ friends’ friends. Your reach is exponential. Twenty close contacts equals 8,000 people influenced at just three degrees out.

That’s the billboard effect of social media. Everything you post—good or bad—becomes part of your reputation. If you think privacy settings are a shield, think again. If you put it out there, it’s out there. And in this business, we’re here to open doors, not close them. The last thing you want is to lose a client—or a referral—because of something you posted without thinking.

Think of it like walking into a broker’s open and finding every wall covered in mounted animal heads. You can’t unsee it. The house becomes “the one with the deer heads.” Tough sell. That’s what your social media looks like if you’re not careful. We’re in the business of helping people and building trust. Don’t let your posts be the reason someone decides you’re not the one to help them.

So, if you’re less than 3.5 steps away from your next opportunity, make sure your platform looks like a home someone actually wants to buy—not a hunting lodge for people who hate Bambi. Because your ripple is a lot bigger than you think