Last month I received a text from a friend, Have you read the Go Giver? I had not. Address please.
These are the best kind of friends.
The Go-Giver is “a little story about a powerful business idea.” The book, written by Bob Burg and John David Mann can be read in a day and is pure delight. The story follows a young business man named Joe. Joe has always prided himself on being a “go getter” so when he isn’t hitting his sales quota, he turns to a business guru for advice.
Over the course of the next week, the business guru teaches Joe the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success. Here’s a spoiler, they all deal with being good to people.
Like Joe, I’ve always proudly held the title of “go getter.” I love working hard and feeling productive and having that ambitious attitude. And that’s all a really good thing. But if in the meantime you sacrifice the things that make life beautiful, what’s the point? If collateral damage is the people that mean the most to you, it may be time to reevaluate your priorities.
I’ve been thinking a lot about being a Go-Giver and how I can incorporate the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success into my daily life. One thing I keep coming back to starts so simply and intimately with self and how you choose to view the world around you. There are no words I can say better than the ones Burg and Mann share in the book, so I will end with one of my favorite excerpts:
“It’s true, and not only about trouble. It’s true about everything. Go looking for conflict, and you’ll find it. Go looking for people to take advantage of you, and they generally will. See the world as a dog-eat-dog place, and you’ll always find a bigger dog looking at you as if you’re his next meal. Go looking for the best in people, and you’ll be amazed at how much talent, ingenuity, empathy, and goodwill you’ll find. Ultimately, the world treats you more or less the way you expect to be treated.”
Expect kindness. Share kindness. Be kindness.
Love always,
Liz
