How To Inspire Trust Almost Instantly
Humans are hardwired to give.
You, me and more than 7 billion others inhabiting this spinning, topsy-turvy globe.
Years ago, science confirmed and validated how heart-centred giving has economic side benefits. Results that go straight to the cash register. In 1989, University of California professor James Andreoni identified “the warm-glow effect”, describing an economic theory that supports the emotional reward of giving. According to Dr. Andreoni, people like you and I, experience biochemical reactions when we do our part to help others. MRI testing reveals certain regions of the brain associated with the ventral striatum and the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) ‘light up’ like a Christmas tree whenever you and I engage in genuine acts of charity. Think of it as a short, self-inflicted hit of dopamine that triggers a ‘helper’s high’. Best-selling author Dr. Norman Vincent Peale also explained this phenomenon as far back as 1952:
“When you become detached mentally from yourself and concentrate on helping other people with their difficulties, you will be able to cope with your own more effectively. Somehow, the act of self-giving is a personal power-releasing factor.”
You and I already know the pandemic has played havoc with our mental state like nothing humanity has seen since the darkest days of WW II. We’ve all experienced bad days. Bad weeks. Our business and life problems are real and need to be confronted, but it also helps to rely on proven methods to reverse downward emotional spirals or doom loops that lead to atrocious months and wasted years.
There is no better exercise for our hearts and minds when we do even the smallest of things to reach down and lift others up. The more we flex those generosity muscles, the more opportunity you and I have to unleash something positively contagious. Maybe inspire other people who are also willing to be carriers.
Watch how a Calgary-based company puts this practice into action each day and demonstrates how The Warm-Glow Effect Beats the Pandemic Blues on this segment of Leaders & Legends.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give” SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL
p.s…. The spirit of Abundant Generosity that flows through Calgary’s Charlesglen Toyota is both admirable and inspirational. And while Tim Beach and his team do spend a few dollars on the cakes and cupcakes that go along with their daily celebrations, its important to note that you don’t always need to open your wallet to help others. Even if you are flat broke, on a fixed income or a starving student, here are ten things you can do to open your heart and create the ‘warm-glow effect’ without spending a dime.
Give Blood: A single unit of blood can help save three lives!
Donate Stuff: Local charitable thrift stores will love you for it.
Volunteer Time: Get involved with causes, youth sports or pet shelters.
Organ Donation: Every day, 22 people die from a lack of organ donors.
Make an Introduction: Play match maker with your professional network.
Perform Chores: How about yard work for an elderly person?
Pro-Bono Expertise: Serve on a local advisory board or mentor youth.
Haul Junk: If you own a pickup, help someone move big things.
Call a Long-Lost Friend: Why not reach out and touch someone?
Be Socially Uplifting: Social media doesn’t need to be a mean, nasty and polarizing place. Not when leaders decide to do their part to ‘brighten the feed’. If you are unable to create original content, why not share someone else’s stories and pour a little clean water into the on-line pool. Feel free to share this post as a way to get started and keep looking to promote others who are enriching social media with their insights and ideas. Small businesses will be especially grateful when you make a sincere recommendation with your social networks.
p.p.s … 19th century philosopher William James ignited the entire motivational speaking industry when he opined, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes”. Considered the ‘Father of American Psychology’ James inspired numerous acolytes including an Ohio preacher who hit paydirt with a message that still resonates to their day. Even after his book remained on The New York Times bestseller list for 186 weeks, critics dismissed Norman Vincent Peale's philosophy as motivational bromides and escape from reality. Fascinating to watch the man himself in action and notice how he never once suggests that people avoid the real issues of life. Published in 1952, The Power of Positive Thinking has sold tens of millions of copies in multiple languages, helping humanity recognize that precisely what you visualize yourself as being is what you become.
YOUR BRAND. WIDE-OPEN.
Throughout the course of the pandemic, we have made every effort to serve small to medium-size business owners with an open heart and no strings attached. That's why we allot a certain amount of time each month for readers like you to schedule a 20-Minute Discovery Session via ZOOM. If you are facing a business or branding challenge that you are not quite sure how to handle and need to bounce ideas and gain clarity, we’re only a click away.
If now is the opportune time to differentiate, re-position and realign your organization, why not explore a metaphorical road trip called THE BRANDING HIGHWAY. Our in-person and virtual Executive Bootcamps serve as both journey and destination to help your brand emerge as an undeniable, undisputed, "Category of One". Impossible to describe, this unpredictable journey is best understood when you take a quick peek at this Video Overview:
“The most important victory is the one which has to arrive” ENZO FERRARI
PLANNING A SPEAKING EVENT?
The wheels of business turn faster each quarter and your company or industry association may be anxious to stay ahead of the lighting-fast relevance curve. In that respect, we are scheduling many in-person and virtual programs for 2021 with customized content designed to inspire conference attendees to acquire a “STADIUM-SIZED PERSPECTIVE”.
For more information on scheduling an In-Person or Virtual Speaking Program, send us a note here: bookings@gairmaxwell.com
Every week someone asks a question about our videos and more specifically our media partner responsible for the storyboarding, production and editing. Headquartered in the shadows of the CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario, Defiant Astronaut Media is uniquely positioned to help business leaders re-think what's possible with this art form and how it can help build your brand. If you are curious about what's involved to get the proper gear to support your own video publishing efforts, here is a few ideas to get started. Click here: https://kit.co/defiantastronaut
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“If you choose not to decide you have still made a choice” NEIL PEART