Getting ahead in life is a superb goal. Finding your passion so you can do just that, on the other hand, isn’t always as cut and dry as it seems it should be. The trick to getting ahead is to figure out exactly what aspects of your life make you truly happy. One of the best ways to do that is by giving away some of your time, talent and knowledge.
The path to getting ahead in life isn’t always paved in dollars and cents. It’s about respect, knowledge, and experience, among other things. Not just getting those things from others, but giving them, too. Read on to find out if you’re giving the right things to move up in the world.
These Five Things Will Help You Move Up in the World.
We are not in any way saying you should build a business model based on giving away your services for free. What we are saying is you should take a closer look at the talents you’re already parting with on a regular basis. You may find that a simple shift in who you share your skills with may open up new opportunities.
Try giving these five things to give away to get ahead in life.
- Respect. Don’t gauge the level of respect you give someone based on what you think you know they’ve accomplished, what they have or who else they can connect you with. Human beings deserve respect for being themselves, regardless of what they may or may not have to offer you. They’re also more likely to share what they do know if you’re treating them properly to begin with.
- Advice. This doesn’t mean you have to give everyone you meet a step-by-step guide on how to accomplish everything. It does mean you’re in a unique position to give people guidance. Those you’ve nudged in the right direction will be more willing to refer you to others, or come to you when they have their own business needs later on.
- Honesty. Anyone who really wants to get ahead in life needs to be honest with themselves and others. Lying may get some people ahead, but those are usually only temporary gains. Developing an honest character will give you the tools you need to form the bonds of trust that will help you succeed.
- Knowledge. Write a book or pamphlet. Send out a newsletter. Hold a free public information session. These are all great ways to share parts of your knowledge base. People will get to know you and the principles upon which you work. They will also remember the value you gave for free when it comes time to buy something from you in the future. Some will even look to you to buy your services just by knowing you are familiar with the information and have produced things based on it, even if they themselves have never read anything you wrote or heard you speak publicly of it.
- Experience and expertise. Expertise comes from experience; we’re good at the things we practice. Some of the best things we can give away are the tips and tricks we find may be valuable when helping others find their own way. This may mean sharing a shortcut or giving someone pointers as to what (or who) to avoid in the future.
Life isn’t about what you can take from others. Sure, we all need help along the way, but the real lessons are often found in what you can give in return as you work your way up. You may just find your true passion and some help making the most of it along the way.