So many businesses and business owners look for recognition and appreciation. Look instead to make a contribution.
I used to ask college students in my classes how many of them chose to do business with a company because the company’s purpose was to enrich its owners. They would laugh and, of course, say “never”. And yet so many businesses are trying to subtly mask and disguise the fact that that’s a very important goal to them.
Now, I don’t think that businesses shouldn’t be rewarded financially for creating and providing value and doing so well. In fact, quite the opposite. But the goal, the purpose, the reason for doing it, shouldn’t primarily be to enrich the owners.
Instead, we need to look to make contributions. This goes for our businesses, our volunteer and community service activities, our homes and families, and the broader world around us. The sense of value and satisfaction that comes from consistently making meaningful contributions is incredibly fulfilling. In fact, it’s addictive, and the consistency in doing so almost always leads to outsized financial rewards.
The other byproduct is the fact that we shed the need for recognition and appreciation. When we contribute simply because it’s the right thing to do, and when we let that be a driving purpose, we slowly but surely lose concern over what others think and the need for their praise. The reward is intrinsic, and when we are intrinsically motivated, we often sustain better performance for longer periods, which, as you may have guessed, usually leads to outsized financial results.
If we really see and feel that we are contributing value, we lose the need for recognition. Once we lose that, we become surprisingly free from other people’s expectations. And once we’re free, we can focus on what we’re doing and how we can do it better, thus continuously increasing the value of our contributions in an upward spiral.
I guess I can say this more simply by reminding readers of an admonition from one of my favorite people that I’ve shared before: take care of the business on your desk and the business will take care of itself.
Want these blog posts delivered straight to your inbox each week? Click here to subscribe.
Follow us on social media at the links below.
