Go. Give. Get. An Explanation

I loved the book The Go Giver, and I not only have blogged about it but I've also had one of the authors on my interview series.  Because of that book, in my own mind I've created a formula for life that has been largely facilitated by the changes in communication and Web 2.0:  Go, Give, Get.  "Go" for just getting started.  Take that idea and actually do something.  Don't wait for perfection, just start now with what you've got.  "Give" for finding a way to actually help others.  Do something that makes a difference and do it in such a way that you don't have to worry about getting compensated for it.  Just do something that's authentic and makes a difference.  "Get" for the inevitable result that the going and the giving produce--a tangible outcome that is emotional, spiritual, or financial.  But the outcome is inevitable.  Go and Give are acts of faith with a guaranteed reward in this philosophy.

So when I found the following quote in another great "airplane read" book, Greater Than Yourself, I felt enlightened significantly as to the mechanics of how this reward formula works.  I instantly recognized the truth here--lots of underlining and stars in the margins on this page (22)!  It's funny, also, that the "Steve" in this quote is the actual name of the character in the book (I wonder if that's influenced me in any way here?).

"If you earn a reputation, Steve, for being one who elevates others, for being someone who gives freely to those around him at work, for turning out superstars, what's going to happen?  You'll have changed the lives of others, but how will it change yours?"

But before I could reply, Charles forged ahead.

"I'll tell you how.  Everyone will want to work with you.  And, because of that, you'll be able to accomplish anything you set out to do."

Boy, did that make sense to me.  When you're authentic, you build trust.  And in a world of social media communication, where trust is often a greater commodity than power, helping others becomes a huge key to success.