I used to feel this way but now I am in a position where I professionally depend on my "network," and I got very good at it by completely changing the way I thi

I used to feel this way but now I am in a position where I professionally depend on my "network," and I got very good at it by completely changing the way I think about it. I mostly don't talk to people when I don't gel with them personally. When I'm at something like a conference, I talk to people whose work I have legitimate questions about, and ask them earnestly wanting to learn from them. I'm a curious person and I like talking about things I've learned, so this is the best way for me to find people I can really get along with. I put more thought and effort into my relationships with people that I can relate to and enjoy talking to. I also put thought and effort into thinking about ways I can help them or make their lives better. I also put effort into asking people I trust for advice or help on things I care about. I share my own knowledge and thoughts freely. Since I hate small-talk and dislike introducing myself to random people, I lean on the people I know who are "connectors," people who enjoy making introductions and being at the center of social circles. I go out of my way to thank them for good introductions. I also just once every few months go through my list of contacts on chat apps and see who I haven't spoken to in a long time and ask them how they're doing. All of that seems to be enough to maintain a healthy professional network, and none of it feels bad or cheap, and in fact it mostly makes me feel happy and good.