Figmentations

Often the most important advice given to bloggers, writers, or anyone in social media (and probably in business, too)  is to be helpful.  

Whether you believe in good karma or not, it is not often disputed that if you are helpful to others without expecting anything in return, you’ll be surprised at what does come back to you in return.  If your intent is the opposite, you may still get results, but more than likely not the same as if you did otherwise.

For me, the tricky part is in knowing what other people find helpful.  Being helpful means different things to different people.  There are many ways to be helpful. 

I would say that the extremes on the ’scale of helpfulness’, if you will, would probably range from being totally selfless to being totally selfish.   If helpfulness were put on a scale, I would put the following fifteen ticks on that ruler (generally ranked here from better to worse, though I’m sure some of you might re-arrange  the order somewhat):

• Selflessness: Giving all of yourself for the benefit of others, e.g., Mother Teresa
• Philanthropy: Gifting others something that is of high value to you and to them
• Teaching Someone to Fish: Showing someone how to become self-sufficient
• Being a Pebble in the Pond: Giving assistance to others who then Pay It Forward
• Doing Something For Others: Helping in non-financial ways e.g., Habitat For Humanity
• Matching Program:  Enhancing the contributions of others
• Contributions: Helping in a hands-off way e.g. making a financial donation
• Goodwill: Donating something that has more value to someone else than to you
• Reciprocity: Helping others who then want to help you in return for the favor
• Offering Temporary Assistance: Loaning someone something of value
• Bettering Yourself:  Becoming  self-sufficient, no longer relying on others
• Quid Pro Quo: Helping others in exchange for them helping you
• Enabling Others: Helping others to continue to be dependent on you or others
• Providing Entitlements: Providing subsistence to people who expect, demand, or don’t appreciate it
• Helping With the Expectation of Payback

Good determinants to keep in mind when deciding how helpful you want or are able to be to others is to consider the following:

• Why are you helping others?
• What Effort is required?  How much is needed and what can you afford?
• What are the Costs and Benefits  to you and/or others for helping or not helping?

Keep in mind the difference between a ten dollar donation from a Rich man versus a ten dollar donation from a Poor Man.  In the end, it’s still a ten dollar donation.  However, the intent and sacrifice can be totally different for each (whether someone is around to see it or not). 

Helping others doesn’t have to involve major sacrifices on anyone’s part.  Small changes add up.  Start by simply being that pebble that ripples through the pond.  What you can do today will probably be different from what you can do at a future point in your life.  And, don’t forget that improving yourself helps others (your family, friends, and society) in the long run, too.

So, how helpful are you to others?  How helpful can others be to you?   And, please feel free to let me know what I can do to be helpful to you?

HAPPY HELPING!!!!!