Do You Give Back?
Author info: This is a guest post by Alan Johnson, the author of The Online Business Handbook.
So you want to be successful? You want to get on top and stay there, don’t you? But what about when you reach that point, will you give back or will you forget all about how it was when starting out?
Let’s face it: as an online entrepreneur, you will have to deal with people. And, given the fact that there is a lot of competition everywhere nowadays, you need all of the help you can get. Even if you think that you can succeed as a one man show, things don’t exactly have the habit of happening that way. No matter how good you are at what you’re doing, no matter how confident you are in yourself, you will reach a point when you will need a hand. Humans are not perfect and, I’m sorry to burst your bubble there, you are only human.
But what is your attitude towards others? Do you lend a hand when you are asked for help or do you simply turn your back on other people? Always be careful how you treat people because everything can backfire, it’s all a matter of having the right attitude. You can’t expect others to be at your disposal whenever you need help, yet turn your back when others need something from you.
No one is expecting you to be perfect, but helping out whenever you can is always a must and the way you treat others will, in the end, determine the way others will treat you. You can’t always expect to receive and never give back, any person with a little bit of common sense should realize that.
Most people, once they become successful, end up forgetting about how it was when they started out, they somehow think that the fact that they have reached a certain status makes them better than everyone else. When you’re blinded by success, it’s easy to forget that you were once in a position where you needed help as well.
In the long run, such an attitude will get you nowhere because sure, you might be successful, it may seem that everything is working out just the way you planned, but you never know what the future holds, you never know when you will be in a position where you need help and once that happens, you will definitely regret your attitude towards the people you could have helped, you will know what it feels like.
Being successful is all about understanding that we are all humans and that helping others whenever you can is a must as well. That’s why asking yourself the “do I give back”? question every now and then will help you keep your feet on the ground. Always be grateful for what you have, always appreciate every victory but never forget about the people who have helped you achieve a certain status and, at least out of respect for them, don’t hesitate to give back whenever you can. Do you give back?
Best wishes,
Alan Johnson
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By PS3 on Apr 4, 2008
I am a firm believer in the adage “what comes around goes around”.
Going out of your way to help someone will therefore reap huge rewards. You have to accept along the way that some will take the help and abuse it or maybe even fail to acknowledge it, but that doesn’t alter the fact that the deed was positive in the first place.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t usually cost anything to put a smile on someone’s face!
By Vicky on Apr 4, 2008
I try to give back all I can. I am relatively new to some of this internet stuff but try to help. I certainly help in my own area of expertise. Just a couple of weeks ago I spent 3 hours with someone that wanted to get into my line of work, running a virtual office here locally and did all I could to get her started in the right direction. Will she be in competition with me someday? Sure but that’s ok. I figure we all have our own strengths and can support one another.
By Website Design on Apr 4, 2008
The universe works in mysterious ways, but certain laws will always apply…the 1st one that springs to mind is to treat people the way you would like to be treated, because one day you will need another one’s hand to help you. Asking for help is a lot easier if you’ve been generous dishing it out!
Brilliant post Ades!
By SEOrious Results on Apr 4, 2008
The wheel of karma turns. Exseollent post Ades! Good to get away from business and talk about the really important stuff once in a while!
By Website Design on Apr 4, 2008
WOW! Enlightening post indeed! Giving back is all-important if you don’t want to fall victim to the scrooge syndrome! Thanks for this!
By Jacques Web on Apr 4, 2008
Thanks for putting things in perspective. Sage advice indeed. Never forget where one came from.
By Ades on Apr 4, 2008
It’s a guest post by AdesBlog’s regular contributor Alan of theratingblog.com.
Great post indeed. Thanks Alan.
By Eva White on Apr 4, 2008
Very nice article. It is so important to be successful and also be a good human being also. i guess in our struggle for reaching the top we somewhere lose out on being a good human, and by the time we realize that we also need help, we have reached so far that we can’t even ask for help, as the help is left far behind.
By Nicole Price on Apr 4, 2008
Life comes back a full circle. If you don’t give back, your success is sure to be short lived.
By Dining Tables on Apr 4, 2008
Cast thy bread on the waters; for thou shall find it after many days….
–Old testament
By Make Money Online on Apr 4, 2008
Great point, helping out and making contacts is an essential part of any business, having people you can trust is a great benefactor. Say you have to take a business trip, you can leave the running of your site in the hands of someone not only who you can trust but also has the ability to take care of business.
By Fitness Site on Apr 5, 2008
Great post by Alan there.
This things are definitely necessary in life. :)
By shawal on Apr 5, 2008
What you give, you get back….. MORE…
By make money blogging on Apr 5, 2008
I personally always try to give more than I take. And I know and have experienced that it always comes back, not sometimes in the way I think it should but it does come back. I think a large problem is that loads of people think there isnt enough to go around. When actually theres more than enough. SO I give as much as I can even when I think I cant I still give, no flow no go is my motto. Alway give more than you take.
By Recliner on Apr 6, 2008
It is nice to read something so soul stirring on what is largely a how-to-blog site. It is a good thing for everyone to take time out and think of those less fortunate than us and to think of giving a little back to the community who is, after all responsible for the success that each one of us enjoys, so AMEN to that!
By Pat Law on Apr 6, 2008
Extremely well written article. Somewhat reminds me of James Brown and his supposed generosity when he left a good portion of his fortune to the Poor and zilch to his children.
At first glance, you may think that he was “giving it back” but then you realise… for the platoon of children he never once acknowledge paternity for who indeed turned out to be his via DNA tests, surely they deserve some long-overdue support too?
James Brown, as talented as he was a musician, is indeed a scumbag of a man to a woman, a father to his children. He’d rather leave behind a fabricated legacy, then to finally try responsibility for size.
By PS3 on Apr 6, 2008
I take it you are not a huge James Brown fan then Pat?
By seo blog on Apr 6, 2008
Now days i try to treat others like i want to be treated myself. Yet i realise that no good deeds go unpunished more often now days.
By Pugsley on Apr 6, 2008
Really A good article, I believe the internet is full of people that have obtained success, and some a great deal of success and all they want is more success and “Money”.
The so called Guru’s that send out 100,000’s emails everyday that tell new people a crock of lies and want them to buy, buy, buy with giving them the knowledge and help they need to actually put what the newbie bought into operation.
This a great reminder, what you sew, so shall you reap. Don’t forget where you came from and what it felt like at the beginning.
Pugsley
By Futon-Matt on Apr 6, 2008
Nice post, I think everyone should ask themselves that very question.
By Forumistan on Apr 8, 2008
Everybody should ask that question…
By chinedu on Apr 9, 2008
if u cant give back, i dont think you can get more
By chinedu on Apr 12, 2008
Givers they say never lack
By Television on Apr 15, 2008
In my opinion you should always give back no matter if you are on top or if you are at the end of the list. By giving back you will create friends and you will keep the friendship stronger so that whenever you will be down a friend of yours will help you.