Being useful is an investment that you can encash any time
In his best-selling book “Influence” Robert B Cialdini spoke about how people feel obligated to reciprocate for something they received from someone.
That is why if you get a free sample, you fill that survey form.
How many times have you heard?
Start giving before you expect anything.
We remember people for their small acts of kindness also.
We like people who bring value to our life, bring laughter and happiness; they are useful in our life.
It may sound a little insensible; after all, people are not furniture in terms of utilities.
Being useful does mean bringing tangible values only.
Suppose you were low, you picked up the phone and spoke to your friend, and you were relieved.
There is no clear, measurable objective output here, but your friend has been useful to you.
You were relieved, you felt better, and you became more productive.
In the best of our relationship, we are always useful to each other.
If the utility to each other is mutual and interdependent, then the bonding is that much stronger.
Human history has been a saga of people's quest to bring out something useful to themself and others.
That is why the inventors burn the midnight oil in quest of their invention; the painters spend countless hours perfecting their art.
The whole endeavor is to find that expression, which will be of some use for others as well.
Imagine a world where we do things only for ourselves and never bother about others!
Do you think human civilization would have made such spectacular progress?
I firmly believe no.
We are useful to others without even thinking about it.
A typical myth is that people work only for money.
I doubted, so, I did a survey and asked people what motivates them most in their work?
A great boss, a great package, an excellent company culture, or a greatly meaningful work?
Not very surprising for me.
Most people think that the most important motivating factor for them is about having meaningful work.
Contrary to popular belief that people are lazy and do not want to work hard, people like to contribute.
People are not driven naturally when they lack purpose.
So, to be useful and to contribute is fundamental to human beings.
Some people are natural givers and resourceful.
Every time someone hits a roadblock in his circle, he will be the first person to be contacted.
Despite all these, we hold ourselves and hesitate to offer help proactively and be useful.
That comes from our deep societal conditioning about having an idea of equal exchanges all the time, and that drives us to “what is there for me?”
It also comes from the thought, “how the other person will see it?”
But when you start giving without expecting, and the other person receives something unexpectedly, magic happens.
He will look for an occasion to reciprocate.
So start being useful proactively and build your goodwill capital.
Goodwill will be compounded in the loyalty account, and should there be a day you need to encash them; you have all of them ready.
Irrespective of whether you got reciprocation or not, the very feeling of being valuable to others will enrich you so much that it will show up in your life like sunshine.
So, next time you meet someone, ask yourself, how can be useful to this person?
