More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
by
Bob Burg
Read between
February 5 - February 6, 2021
being a giving person is how you achieve success in the first place,
By “be a giver,” Bob and John mean be a giving person, period: one who gives thought, gives attention, gives care, gives focus, gives time and energy—gives value to others. Not as a quid pro quo, not as a strategy to get ahead, but because it is, in and of itself, a satisfying and fulfilling way to be.
(“the more you give, the more you have”)
“Appearances can be deceiving, Joe. In fact, they nearly always are.”
‘I believe that a person can reach a certain level of success without being particularly special. But to get really, really big, to reach the kind of stratospheric success we’re talking about, people need to have something on the inside, something that’s genuine.’”
There’s nothing wrong with making money. Lots of it, in fact. It’s just not a goal that will make you successful.”
most people just laugh when they hear that the secret to success is giving.” He paused. “Then again, most people are nowhere near as successful as they wish they were.”
In life, you often don’t get what you want. But,” he leaned forward again and his voice grew softer with emphasis, “here’s what you do get—You get what you expect.”
“Ultimately, the world treats you more or less the way you expect to be treated.”
“I think I understand. You want to make sure I’m not wasting your time. Fair enough.” Pindar smiled. “Joe, no offense, but you don’t have that power.” Joe looked confused. “I mean, the power to waste my time. Only I can do that.
“A very useful thing to remember: appearances can be deceiving.” He slid over to make room for the chef. “Truth is, they nearly always are.”
“Everyone likes to be appreciated,” said Ernesto. “And that’s the Golden Rule of business,” added Pindar. “All things being equal—” Ernesto finished the phrase: “—people will do business with and refer business to those people they know, like and trust.”
Does it make money?’ is not a bad question. It’s a great question. It’s just a bad first question. It starts you off pointed in the wrong direction.” He let Joe ponder that for a moment, then continued. “The first question should be, ‘Does it serve? Does it add value to others?’ If the answer to that question is yes, then you can go ahead and ask, ‘Does it make money?’” “In other words,” said Joe, “exceed people’s expectations, and they’ll pay you even more.”
THE LAW OF VALUE Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.
“The First Law determines how valuable you are,” Nicole continued. “In other words, your potential income, how much you could earn. But it’s the Second Law that determines how much you actually do earn.”
the Second Law, the Law of Compensation: “Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.” She paused, then added, “Or to put it another way, Your compensation is directly proportional to how many lives you touch.”
you get to determine your level of compensation—it’s under your control. If you want more success, find a way to serve more people. It’s that simple.”
“It also means there are no limitations on what you can earn, because you can always find more people to serve.
The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, ‘Everybody can be great because anybody can serve.’
THE LAW OF COMPENSATION Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.
“Sometimes you feel foolish, even look foolish, but you do the thing anyway.”
“Of course he seems relaxed. He is relaxed. Whoever said being anxious gets more accomplished?”
Some of these tasks she enjoyed more than others. However, she approached each one as though she loved it. She did this by reminding herself that, regardless of how much or how little she cared for the task itself, she relished the opportunity to survive, save and serve.
“Survive, save and serve?” Joe interrupted. “Sounds like a motto.” “It easily could be,” agreed Pindar. “They are the three universal reasons for working. Survive—to meet your basic living needs. Save—to go beyond your basic needs and expand your life. And serve—to make a contribution to the world around you.”
“When you’ve got your own army of personal walking ambassadors, you’ll have referrals coming your way faster than you can handle them.”
“You want to know what makes that kind of network happen, Joe?” Joe looked up and met Sam’s gaze. “I do.” The old man’s eyes bore into Joe. “Stop keeping score.”
“When you base your relationships—in business or anywhere else in your life—on who owes who what, that’s not being a friend. That’s being a creditor.”
“Watch out for the other guy. Watch out for his interests. Watch his back. Forget about fifty-fifty, son. Fifty-fifty’s a losing proposition. The only winning proposition is one hundred percent. Make your win about the other person, go after what he wants. Forget win-win—focus on the other person’s win.
“Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first.”
“Because if you place the other person’s interests first, your interests will always be taken care of. Always. Some people call it enlightened self-interest. Watch out for what other people need, with the faith that when you do, you’ll get what you need.”
“Have you ever wondered what makes people attractive? I mean, genuinely attractive? Magnetic?” He pushed on the big glass door and they walked outdoors into the warm September day. “They love to give. That’s why they’re attractive. Givers attract.”
THE LAW OF INFLUENCE Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first.
“These lessons don’t apply only to business, Joe. A genuinely sound business principle will apply anywhere in life—in your friendships, in your marriage, anywhere.
When I said that my life as a mom, wife and household manager left me with nothing the marketplace wanted, I was wrong. There was something else I’d learned over those years, and that was how to be a friend. How to care. How to make people feel good about themselves. And that, my friends, is something the marketplace wants very much—always has, always will.
“People, remember this: no matter what your training, no matter what your skills, no matter what area you’re in, you are your most important commodity. The most valuable gift you have to offer is you.
No matter what you think you’re selling, what you’re really offering is you.”
“You want people skills?” she repeated. “Then be a person.”
THE LAW OF AUTHENTICITY The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.
“So the secret to success,” Joe went on, “to gaining it, to having it, is to give, give, give. The secret to getting is giving. And the secret to giving is making yourself open to receiving.
THE LAW OF RECEPTIVITY The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.
“The point is not what you do. Not what you accomplish. It’s who you are.”
THE FIVE LAWS OF STRATOSPHERIC SUCCESS THE LAW OF VALUE Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment. THE LAW OF COMPENSATION Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them. THE LAW OF INFLUENCE Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first. THE LAW OF AUTHENTICITY The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself. THE LAW OF RECEPTIVITY The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.
success is the result of specific habits of action: creating value, touching people’s lives, putting others’ interests first, being real, and having the humility to stay open to receiving.
by “giving” we mean “being a giving person, period: one who gives thought, gives attention, gives care, gives focus, gives time and energy—who gives value to others.”
You don’t need money to be a giving person. The process starts simply by adding value to other people’s lives, right now, in any way you can, and it builds from there.
