A lot of people think that to be rich, you have to be a jerk. This is total BS! I’m a nice guy, and I’m rich. I personally know lots of wealthy people who are nice, too.
I don’t know where this idea came from, but let’s put an end to it right here. Being a jerk might intimidate some people into giving you what you want, but it’ll also scare a lot of people off. There goes your professional life and any hope of getting rich!
But when you’re nice, more people want to connect with you and more opportunities open up, which means more money will come your way. As the saying goes, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.
Be nice because it’s the right way to treat people, though, not just to get what you want. People can sense when you’re faking it, so you won’t get anywhere unless your words and actions are real.
Now let’s debunk that “rich people are jerks” belief and look at a few reasons why being nice can make you rich:
REASON #1: You Get Your Money From Other People
When I ask my students where money comes from, they often say “hard work” or “the Universe” or “my job.” Wrong. The only way we can get money is if someone else decides to give it to us.
So why would they pay us? Because we’ve earned their trust. We’ve done this by meeting (or exceeding) their expectations AND by treating them with kindness and respect.
Brené Brown uses a great marble jar metaphor. Every person is a jar. Each time they do something nice, a marble gets added, but whenever they do something hurtful, a marble gets taken out. The fuller the marble jar, the more trustworthy the person is.
Be the person with a full jar. That’s what makes people want to give you money, whether it’s in the form of a raise, a new job, or buying your product or service.
REASON #2: It Makes People Feel Special
The Ritz-Carlton hotel chain is famous for its above-and-beyond customer service. Have you heard the story about Joshie the stuffed giraffe? If not, you’re in for a treat:
When Chris Hurn couldn’t find Joshie after their family returned home from Florida, he told his upset son the giraffe had stayed behind to take a longer vacation. To Chris’s relief, he got a call shortly after telling him they’d found Joshie in the laundry.
Chris explained his white lie and asked if they’d back up his story by taking a picture of Joshie by the pool. The employee agreed, but then decided to go all out. Before Joshie was returned, he enjoyed a massage, helped the Loss Prevention Team, made stuffed and real animal friends, drove a golf cart, and, yes, chilled by the pool. The staff took pictures of it all and put them into a binder, which they sent home along with Joshie and a few other Ritz-Carlton toys.
It’s like nice times a million!
Don’t worry, though—you don’t have to go as full-out as the Ritz-Carlton does. Small kindnesses can go a long way. After all, would you rather get your daily lunch from a real-life version of the Soup Nazi from “Seinfeld” or the friendly server who remembers your name and your favorite entrée?
The goal is to make others feel special, seen and supported. It’s how everyone deserves to be treated. It’s also one of the best (and most fun) ways to draw in the right people, opportunities, and, of course, money.
REASON #3: Kindness Is Contagious
A few years ago, a Liberty Mutual commercial showed a person doing a good deed. Another person saw the deed and was inspired to do one themselves, which was then seen by someone else, and the cycle repeated. Man, was it powerful!
When you’re nice, it spreads throughout your organization. This is especially true when it comes from the person in charge, but even a single employee can lift the energy of the place.
That niceness then gets passed on to clients and customers, who not only give you their money, they tell other people about you who then give you their money and tell even more people, and before you know it, the money’s pouring in!
Joshie’s story is a prime example. Chris, the dad, was so impressed by the hotel’s gesture, he published an article about his family’s experience in the Huffington Post. Not only was it shared 4,200 times, but other news outlets wrote their own articles, and even today—like right now!—Joshie’s adventure still gets told as a prime example of treating customers right. It’s a safe bet that some people have Ritz-Carlton over other hotels solely because of the story.
Obviously, this is great if you own a business or work on commission, but the idea fits in corporate life, too. When people enjoy working with you, they’ll talk about you with others, including people who determine the success of your business, your salary, or career path. The more good things they hear about you, the more likely your business or career will move forward how you want!
Now that I’ve told you the three reasons niceness can make you rich, I want to make one thing crystal clear: being nice does NOT mean you let people walk all over you. Standing up for yourself is always okay. Just do it from a place of kindness because you never know where the other person is coming from. Like Plato said, “Be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle.”
I’d love for us to put reason #3 in action and spread some kindness in our community right here! Use the comments below to share how a company or someone at work was nice to you. Don’t forget to include what effect their action had on you!
“Rich people are jerks” is just one of the many non-supportive beliefs that keeps people from getting rich. I had my own set of non-supportive beliefs I had to overcome in order to reach high levels of success and become extremely wealthy, as have every one of my students.
In my free web class, “Don’t Believe a Thought You Think,” I’ll teach you everything I’ve learned about these beliefs, including the one sentence that can instantly help you move past them and become unstoppable in all areas of your life.
I’d love you if you’d join me as my guest, so click here now to sign up for my FREE online training.
There are multiple dates and times, so choose the one that fits into your schedule best. I look forward to seeing you there!
For Your Freedom,
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