Living Beyond Yourself In Business and Life

In the past couple of years I have seen some real growth in myself and in many of my dear friends and business associates. The more I surround myself with selfless individuals, I see a whole aspect of life that I was not aware of for a long time.

I've been involved on some level or another in network marketing, mlm, direct sales and franchising for most of my adult life and felt that a good sales transaction was when both parties were better off at the end of a transaction than before. In business, I know that when I help someone get what they want, my business will eventually be rewarded usually five or ten times over by future purchases, referrals and long term business deals. In networking and mlm, it's about helping others first so your rewards will be seen down the road.

It's goes without saying that if you are only interested in yourself, your business will be short lived and true success will never come. You may have the portfolio, but you don't have the honor and respect of those people in your field or maybe not even your family and close friends.

What I find myself doing now more than ever as I make decisions in all areas of my life, is asking what impact is this going to have when I'm done. It just doesn't seem worth it to doing things strictly for profit or short term gain, whether in business or relationally. If I spend an extra ten minutes on the phone with a collegue and listen to them beyond the business at hand, I usually discover a need for a open ear, sometimes to vent or share a trouble in their life or sometimes even to celebrate something great going on at home or in their personal life. I want every interaction with people to end with that person feeling better about themselves, then before we connected.

I'm sorry to say, it doesn't always happen. I've left many in the dust, feeling the same or worse after an interaction because old habits of self preservation and pride. The best part is that I am aware of it and as I pick up on it more often, the more attuned I am to what my goal is, prior to the interaction.

Lately, I have found myself looking for more opportunities to give of my time and money to causes that used to seem non-existant, but are now blatently right in front of me and I can't ignore. Though I struggle sometimes in my personal financial planning, I'll give without worry that everything will be fine for me as it always is. God provides not only for my daily needs, but for so much more and I look at some that are looking for just a little dignity and a helping hand to get them through tough times.

Many of my friend are succesful financially, but still get caught up in the next best thing they can buy that will be gathering dust in 6 months or traded in for the newest model. Time and time again, they end up throwing money after money, for what, I don't know.

I have come to the understanding over the past couple years, that I can't take anything with me when I die, but I can leave behind me something better than an inheritance of cash and stuff, by providing life to a starving child, a new home for someone that had theirs destroyed by nature or maybe just enlightening others and having a huge impact on the world.

When all is said and done and I look back, I need to know that I did more than partied more than anyone else, had the biggest house or the fullest garage of toys. Maybe today, this will touch your heart in someway and my life will have impacted you and in turn will change the lives of others that I would never have come in contact with. I hope so. Pay it forward.