There’s a saying we live by at RP Capital: “Through service we build people.” It’s not just something we feel in our gut and put into practice because we believe it – it’s actually the very reason we’re able to run a profitable business…
Now to some folks, it may seem like a contradiction that you can build a business around the idea of focusing on others. But the fact is, your greatest success actually comes from helping others.
Here’s what I mean…
We Learn and Get Better… By Teaching
It’s true: if you really want to learn something… if you really want to get better at it… then teach it to someone else.
In fact, in some circles, it’s so obvious that teaching helps you learn better, that they’ve focused research not just on if learning-by-teaching works well – but why it does. In other words, it’s more of a “This is such a powerful approach that we need to understand how it works so we can cash on it even better” kind of a thing.
For example, the British Psychological Society recently published an article about a learning-by-teaching study. The main idea is that when we teach someone else something we know, it forces us to actively retrieve from our brain all kinds of knowledge and experiences – and the study implies it’s likely that this retrieval of what we have learned is the process that actually helps us learn it even better.
I’m sure you can find all kinds of other studies supporting this dynamic and explaining how and why it works the way it does. All I know is, it doesn’t surprise me that there’s science backing up what countless teachers, mentors, and leaders have known for ages: when you help someone learn something, you may end up learning just as much.
Helping Others Feels Good
Apparently, it feels REALLY good – in terms of neurochemicals and that sort of thing, it lights up our brains like a Christmas tree!
According to a Psychology Today article, there are at least three benefits we get from offering “social support” to others. They all have to do with increasing the kind of brain activity that we like and need – and decreasing the brain activity that’s not good for us. My translation of the findings goes something like this…
When we actively help other people, we experience less stress… more “happy hits” from those feel-good brain chemicals…. and a huge sense of well-being from those parts of our brain that turn on when we protect and/or nurture others.
In other words, our brains work better, we’re happier and more productive, and everything just plain works better – all from taking the time to help others out in a meaningful way. Sounds good to me!
Helping Others… Is Profitable
Look, I don’t know where this idea of “business versus social responsibility” came from. It’s like some folks are convinced that the only reason anyone ever goes into business is from “pure selfishness”…
But try this: Come up with a business model that literally is only about YOU. Meaning, there’s nothing in it for anyone else. Your business won’t help them make money… keep the money they have… get in shape… find the love of their life… encourage them… make them smarter… teach how to wear clothes that help them look and feel great… or anything at all.
Nope: it’s all about you. “Give me $2,000 – and I’ll become richer and better looking and more influential. Isn’t that a deal?!”
That business is not going to be very profitable, is it? Because any real business is built squarely on you helping to solve someone else’s problem. They’re happy to pay you… because you have what they need. You have what they want! And by providing them your solution, you make their lives better.
So, yeah, it can be good to do pro bono work. It’s good to offer information and advice for free (sometimes). But don’t ever let anyone tell you you’re being selfish just because you’re running a business. Because unless you’re a complete sleezeball who’s selling some really nasty drugs or something terrible like that, the fact you have paying customers pretty much means you’re offering a much-needed service to others. And becoming successful in the process.
In fact, if you want to be even more successful… find out how to serve them even better.
It’s All About Your Imagination
As long as you think in terms of “having a job” or “running a business to make some money,” success will elude you. But once you connect your skill set with someone else’s needs, you’ll find financial and personal success. Because helping others makes you better at what you do… flat-out feels good… and is the foundation of profitability and growth in business.
Are you ready for the highest level of personal and financial success… the kind that’s guaranteed to improve your own well-being while serving others? Then give us a call at (801) 990-5109 or schedule your free appointment here to build a personalized Wealth Plan. We’ll help you discover the transforming power of achieving success while helping others…
