Route 66 - The Journey Toward Success
Don't Keep Score
People think that having someone in their network is "give and take". While it is true that we hope that everyone whom we help will find ways to reciprocate, the reality of the world is that this is not always the case. Not everyone understands the concept of doing for others (you do, because you read this blog...if everyone in the world read this blog, then that would be a different story!). Sometimes we assist others who do not have the ability to help us at later date because their personal situation is not such that they have the right connections. Others get busy and forget about those who helped them reach their success (shame on you if you have forgotten those who gave you a helping hand in the past). And finally, the world is full of selfish people who think the rest of us are here to serve them. These people are takers who would never consider giving unless they saw the direct pay off to their own bottom line.
Oh well. If someone misinformed you and think that the world is fair, I am sorry. My five year old desperately wants everything to be fair. She eyeballs each scoop of ice cream to insure that her older sister did not somehow get a little more. But the rest of us are not children, and at some point, if we are lucky, we decided that life is not a zero sum game. Just because someone else got something good, they did not take away our ability to achieve more in life.
When you are interacting with people in your business community, I recommend that you find ways to uncover other peoples goals and aspirations, and then find ways to help the achieve those dreams. Introduce them to key people who can make their life journey more carefree and provide them with the tools toward achievement.
Do for others without regard as to what they might do for you later. Delight in the joy of helping someone else. Thrive from knowing that because of your introduction, or other advice, that another person will see success. Do not keep score.
I am not encouraging you to be a doormat who lets others take advantage of you, instead I am telling you to look toward the greater good, and know that if you really are a resource for others that others will want to be a resource for you! If your attention is always on self, you will miss the opportunity to grow beyond your current situations.
Sure, there are countless examples of takers who have ginormous success. So what, do you want to be a taker? Plus, the universe has a way of knocking those folks down a notch at some point along their journey.
I know a person who is waiting for their "big break". They are working hard to succeed in their chosen career...of which they are committed and passionate. It is a long road, but I am sure he will succeed. In the mean time, he is trying to help others who are chasing similar dreams. He opens his network, and even is willing to refer his competition to prospects when his services are not the right fit. He does not keep score when someone else succeeds, instead he looks at the other person's victory as proof that he too can make it.
I admire the joy this person finds in the success of others and that he does not keep score. He believes in what he tells me he heard from Zig Ziglar: "You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." Do this, but do not keep score. It all works out in the end.
Have A Great Day.
thom
http://www.thomsinger.com/
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