The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea

by Bob Burg

‘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.’”

“You see? You can’t go in two directions at once. Trying to be successful with making money as your goal is like trying to travel a superhighway at seventy miles an hour with your eyes glued to the rearview mirror.”

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.”

What you focus on is what you get. You’ve heard the expression, ‘Go looking for trouble and that’s what you’ll find’?”

Go looking for conflict, and you’ll find it. Go looking for people to take advantage of you, and they generally will. See the world as a dog-eat-dog place, and you’ll always find a bigger dog looking at you as if you’re his next meal. Go looking for the best in people, and you’ll be amazed at how much talent, ingenuity, empathy and good will you’ll find.

“Ultimately, the world treats you more or less the way you expect to be treated.”

“Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.”

“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.”

What you focus on is what you get.

Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.

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.”

“Unfortunately,” continued Pindar, “most people spend their entire lives focusing on the first. A smaller number focus on the second. But those rare few who are truly successful—not just financially, but genuinely successful in all aspects of their lives—keep their focus squarely on the third.”

what people call ‘win-win’ is really just a disguised way of keeping track. Making sure we all come out even, that nobody gets the advantage. Even-Steven. I scratched your back, so now you owe me.” He shook his head sadly. “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.”