On the sixth day of my project I wrote about the power of making a movement. Not only is making a movement a powerful way to achieve something but it could in fact be the only way to achieve anything remarkable.
Same applies in physics – everything is based on movement.
It could be that everything we’ve been taught about marketing and business in general is rubbish. It all comes down to the fundamental question: what is remarkable enough to create a movement around it?
Mitch Joel has crystallized the importance of creating a movement in his 2009 blog entry titled “Start a movement”. The basic message in his post is simple. Do something unique and simple enough that the others can follow.
Everyone should know the type of movement they are trying to create with their actions. If I’m asked what I’m trying to achieve, my answer is:
To turn helping others into a movement.
Once you know the movement you’re trying to create, suddenly the things you do are important. Like Joel put it:
“Starting a blog is boring. Starting a movement is exciting.”
Do you know the movement you are working towards?
Every human being is at times in need of assistance. On the other hand everyone gets the chance to help someone else.
But why do people actually help one another?
Here are some stereotypes of the motives people have for helping:
- Some people have the innate ability to help others. They feel the destined to put others first and themselves last but these people are a clear minority. These people usually find their careers in helping people in charities or churches etc. These people can even be abused for their gullibility.
- Most people feel positive about helping others when it’s convenient to them. These people will usually give directions when asked and help their friends like normal people do. These people are willing to help if it isn’t a major inconvenience to them.
- Some people see helping others as the path to personal gain. Helping someone now might leave them in gratitude for the future. These people are willing to help if they consider the future gains bigger than the current losses.
What is the right way to help people?
I will argue that the right way is the one that makes both the helper and the receiver happy. Everyone should go through the trouble of thinking what motivates them in helping others. When you know that it’s easier to start analyzing the way you behave when asked to help someone.
So whatever is your motive for helping, you should always do it from your own standpoint. Doing it for anything else will eventually backfire. This is also the reason why helping is so poorly valued in our society.