|
If
any person alive is discontented with his or her rewards,
they should examine their service. Action;
reaction. "As ye sow, so shall ye
reap." What you put out will determine what you
must get back in return. It's so simple, so basic, so
true--and yet, so misunderstood.
If a
business is not expanding to the quick and exciting tempo of
the times, it must examine its contribution--its
service. If a person is unhappy with his or her
income, that person must examine and reevaluate his or her
service.
Now,
whom do we serve? Each of us serves a portion of
humanity. And humanity, to any given person, is the
people with whom he or she comes in contact. It is
family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, customers, prospects,
employers--all those one has chosen to serve.
Everyone--everyone with whom we have any kind of contact--is
to us humanity. And our rewards will be determined by
the extent to which we serve.
Never
before in the history of the world have human beings been so
interdependent. It is as impossible to live without
serving others as it would be to live if others were not
constantly serving us. And this is good. The
more closely knit this interdependence becomes, the greater
will be human achievement. We need each other, and we
literally cannot live without each other.
|
|
|
Every time
we strike a match, drink a glass of water, turn out the
lights, pick up the telephone, drive our car, put on our
clothes, take a bath, mow the lawn or go fishing (try making
your own fishhooks sometime), we're being served by other
human beings. Every time we look at our watch, we are
being served by a great industry, and by the efforts of
thousands of human beings.
We
all seek rewards, and we should understand that rewards come
in two forms: tangible and intangible. That is,
rewards include the money we earn, the home we buy, the car
we drive, the clothes we wear; and they also include our
happiness, our peace of mind, our inner satisfaction, the
people we meet and enjoy.
But
remember this: Whatever you seek in the form of
rewards, you must first earn in the form of service to
others. All attempts to sidestep this law will end in
failure, frustration, and ultimately, demoralization. . . .
To
come up with ways to increase your service, read books on
your specialty; read what others have found to work well for
them. At the same time, think of original and creative
ways to increase your service--ways that are unique with you
and the way you are.
Going
at it strong for a week or a month and then falling back
into old habits is just like working for a week or a month
on a plot of ground and then abandoning it. Before
long, it will be no better than before.
Each
morning, and during the day, ask yourself this
question: "How can I increase my service today,
knowing that my rewards in life must be in exact proportion
to my service?" Do this every day, and you will
have started to form one of life's most valuable habits. . .
.
If
you're worried about your income or your future, you're
concentrating on the wrong end of the scale. Look at
the other end; concern yourself only with increasing your
service--with becoming great where you are--and your income
and your future will take care of themselves. Don't be
like the person sitting in front of that empty fireplace and
asking for heat; you're asking for the impossible.
Pile in the wood first. The heat will come as a
result.
Next
time you're off by yourself in a quiet place, contemplate
your plot of ground, your life, and begin to sow the seeds
that will yield you a rich and abundant life.
|
