Lists are very easily-digestible when it comes to parsing out information. Lists on top blog headlines to attract leads. Lists for the top memes of the week. Lists expose me to information or data I might not have found otherwise. Lists are super simple to read in my over-scheduled life.

But it's the lists where I feel I fit in the community and digital ecosystem that sometimes leave me feeling bad about myself. Thoughts of "she's younger than me and accomplished so much more" or "a professional friend has been working on a similar project for a lot longer" often creep into my head. I wonder why I see the same names or websites on the same lists time after time with no thought to finding new or fresh content or people.

I'm not saying that the Top 100 Websites for Women 2012 isn't a great list, but it goes on the assumption that everyone has the same background and pain points – so a generic list will solve everyone's problems. Sometimes they are linkbait. Lists are also usually dependent on the author's opinion, and wind up omitting valuable content solely because they just weren't aware something else existed. Statistical lists are valuable, but so are op-ed pieces.

Here's the thing. You don't have to be on any who's who list of tech / startup / entrepreneur / influencers to make a profound impact every single day. You just need to pour your blood, sweat, and tears into your own business, your own cause, your own mission and change the world around you. Being validated by appearing on someone else's ranking system doesn't change who you are or your importance to your community, family, or career.

I appreciate the occasion when I wind up in someone's shared Circle or in the "Top 10,000 Social Media Strategists in the NYC/Philly Corridor" list (that was sarcasm by the way) but it matters more to me that the people I can impact in my every day life and career have my email address and phone number at the ready to contact me when they need to.

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Top 100 Websites For Women 2012 – Forbes
ForbesWoman Top 100 Websites For Women: What do we look for? Informative and compelling content, smart navigable design, engaged communities and, of course, a voice that speaks to and for the female r…

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