The Power of Service


Over the years, I have worked with highly successful people from sports, science, business, education, and entertainment. A common sentiment I heard from all of them is that at the end of their lives, they would look back and ask, "How much did I learn, and how much did I serve others?"

Your most important role in life is to help other people succeed. There may be substantial monetary rewards in the way you make your living, but the greatest reward is to have helped others reach their goals. When we're gone, our material possessions don't really matter. Our greatest legacy is the people we've helped build, who are left to build others in the same way.

You can build some people up by giving them money, by giving them a helping hand, or by sharing your knowledge or expertise with them. There is another way of giving service, however, that is not often discussed—and that is respect.

Not too long ago, I started studying martial arts. Having been somewhat of a rebel in my youth, I initially balked at some of the things I was being taught. For instance, when you want to come into the room, you must ask, "Permission to enter, sir?" If you are thirsty, you must ask, "Permission to get a drink of water, sir?" And if you walk by a black belt, you must raise your hand to your chest in a kind of salute. I soon realized that this was a system of respect within the martial arts world, and I could see how this respect not only builds camaraderie amongst the students, it also teaches you to respect the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents, and of yourself as well.

It is this kind of respect—respect for another's strengths and weaknesses— that is needed in business and in the home. Businesses do better when they respect their customers as individual human beings, not just as a means to making a profit. Bosses get more productivity out of employees they respect and praise for jobs well done. And in the home, couples communicate better when they learn to truly respect their partners.

You show respect for your partner in the little things you do. That could be something as simple as cleaning up the dishes after a meal, giving your partner some "alone time" after he or she has been with the kids all day, or really listening to what is most important to the other person. Sometimes the greatest service we can do for someone else is just to make time for them, and to show them you care. To paraphrase an old saying, "Service is in the details." It's the little things you do that show you care about and respect those around you.

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.

—Lao-Tzu,
Chinese philosopher




Diamond Power. Gems of Wisdom From America's Greatest Marketer
Diamond Power: Gems of Wisdom from Americas Greatest Marketer
ISBN: 1564146987
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 207
Authors: Barry Farber

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