Give and Thou Shall Receive

The key to a business well run, a career well built, and a life well lived.

“Give, and it will be given to you.”

Luke 6:38

Don’t worry — this isn’t a sermon.

But this passage — like so many from The Bible and other ancient texts — does speak to a fundamental human truth.

In the field of psychology, it’s known as “The Law of Reciprocity”. And it can be summarised like this.

The deep-rooted urge we all feel to return a favour that someone has done for us.

Mundane though it may sound, this principle is the cornerstone of successful relationships, both in life and business.

We are — all of us — playing the hero of our own personal story (you can read more on this here). Our objectives are numerous and vary widely by person, ranging from basic functional needs to the search for deeper meaning.

But — whatever our aim may be — we are all drawn towards, and willing to reward, those that can help us achieve it.

A business’s role is to do just that. Creating value for people in order to receive value (usually in the form of payment) in exchange.

It therefore follows that the most valuable businesses are those that create the most value for people and the world.