By Joshua Noerr
Sometimes in our daily lives we become enveloped in ourselves. We have errands to run, we have bills to pay, we have people who depend on us to get things done; essentially, we have a whole pile of “me.” We get so focused on getting things done, that we forget about the things we want or truly enjoy. We forget to take simple pleasures in small things, and we lose sight of all we have because we have to get to the next appointment. In essence, we reduce the size and scope of our own influence because we are so focused on our own world.
Now, there is nothing wrong with being focused on achieving goals set for oneself. In fact, this is a wonderful thing. Furthermore, this article is about helping you achieve your goals by helping others. I don’t want you to take your eyes off of your prize at all, I want you to win, but you are going to have to help people to get there.
It has been said, “Your ability to get what you want, will be in direct proportion to your ability to help others get what they want.” Many different people are said to have originated this idea, and I don’t know which one it is truly, nor does it matter here. What does matter is how true this is.
The vast majority of successful, wealthy, and influential people are fantastic philanthropists. Bill and Melinda Gates, Warren Buffett, Donald Trump (yes, the Donald), Oprah Winfrey, just to name a few, are all very involved in serving others. Now, I am not trying to convince you to give vast amounts of money to worthy causes in this article. What I am doing is trying to get you to shift to an attitude of servitude in small ways at first, then larger ones as you become able.
You do not need to give huge amounts of money away to serve your fellow man. What follows is a short list that will get you started in the right direction. Start using one or all of these as soon as possible, and you will find your own life much easier.
Surprise your spouse or partner. You do not need to buy an expensive gift if that is not within your means, but you should do something they would like. My wife loves it when I clean the house unexpectedly.
Let someone in during a busy commute. I try to make it a point while driving to let someone merge in whenever I can. We all know how frustrating it can be to merge in heavy traffic, so, give someone else a break.
Give someone your place in line. I love the look on a person’s face when I offer to let them go ahead of me at the grocery store. This has absolutely no negative effect on my life, and it is worth it every time.
Give a co-worker a thank you card. Nothing fancy here, just let someone with whom you work know how much you appreciate something they have done for you. You may make that person’s month!
Change your choice of words. This last one is my favorite. Instead of asking someone, “How may I help you,” or, “What can I do for you,” or worse, “What do you need,” instead ask, “How may I serve you?” Do this with clients, customers, family and friends. You will catch people’s attention, and again, you may make someone’s day.
These five simple things are not earth shattering, but if we all made a conscious effort to do them every day, they could be earth changing. You will also be amazed at how much easier your day and reaching your goals becomes when you are serving others.
One simple one I did not include in the list that you should do at every opportunity is to smile. Smile when you greet people. Smile when they leave. Smile on the phone. Your smile can disarm hostility, and make you memorable. Good luck with your new attitude, and I look forward to serving you in the future.
Joshua Noerr is a sales manager and coach based in Atlanta, Georgia. To learn more visit http://www.joshuanoerr.com, or email Joshua at info@joshuanoerr.com
Article Source: Cultivating a Service Attitude
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