One thing so simple that most people dismiss it the first time they hear it.

Are you ready? Here it is…

They all serve their people and customers, better.

Every single one of them figured out how to create more value for other people than they captured for themselves. And they went first. Before the money showed up. Before the recognition. Before anyone was watching.

Every great leader I've studied did the same thing. They went first. They gave before they got. They added value before they asked for anything in return. And they did it so consistently that the results eventually caught up to the effort. The concept is simple and straight forward. Give before you get. That's the edge.

Peter Drucker said the purpose of a business is to create a customer. That's true. But the part most people skip is how. You create a customer by building a journey that's designed for them, not for you. If you're planning to start a business someday, start with the idea and then provide the service the best you know how. You'll get there faster by learning from people who already figured it out.

One more thing. Books over Videos. Always. A video gives you a dopamine hit for twenty minutes. A book rewires how you think for years. But only if you write down the ideas that stand out to you and reflect on them. If you don't capture them, they vanish. Pens and paper. Every time you read.

Let's get into it.

3 REAL DEAL PRINCIPLES

SERVICE

The person who serves first builds the empire that all others pale in comparison to.

There's a cheat code hiding in plain sight. While everyone else strategizes, and positions themselves to get ahead, the person who adds value first to every room, every relationship is building something none of the others can compete with. Trust.

Trust is the only starting place for every healthy relationship, every successful business venture, and every opportunity worth having. It doesn't come from being impressive. It comes from being useful, from being the person who asks "what do you need?" before they ask "what can I get?" Over time, that person becomes irreplaceable. not because they're the most talented person, but because they're the most trusted person. Let me tell you, it is trust that builds credibility and security in your relationships at work or in life with other people and that trust will carry you as far as you want to go.

Become the person who is trusted. Consistently.

IDENTITY

Your identity isn't just who you are. It's who you are to other people.

Identity has two sides. There's the internal part and that is knowing yourself, understanding your values. That's essential. But there's a second side most people ignore, the impact you have on the people around you. Read that whole statement again.

Who are you in someone else's story? The person who showed up when it mattered? The one who told the truth when a lie would have been easier? The one who believed in them before they believed in themselves? Your identity gets built in two places. First in the mirror and second in the memory of the people you've served well, or not. Both matter, and again the second one is the fountain of every legacy.

CHARACTER

Accountability isn't punishment.

People are born and taught to run from accountability like it's a trap. “I know how to do it” yells the child, and then struggles, never thinking to ask the parent for their knowledge in an effort to learn how to do it in a better way.

The relationships that endure in business, friendship, and family are all built on the willingness to be held to a standard. Set the standard in highest regard for yourself to begin with.

Accountability means giving someone permission to tell you the truth, saying "call me out when I'm wrong" and meaning it, not defensively, but with genuine openness and care for improvement. The person who welcomes accountability builds deeper trust than the person who avoids it. Because avoiding it says "I care more about being comfortable than being honest with myself." Comfort is a terrible starting point for anything in life outside of the beach. As Les Brown says, “You gotta be Huuuungry!” Not Comfortable.

"Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment."

Burg built an entire philosophy around this - The Go-Giver. It sounds counterintuitive in a world that teaches you to negotiate hard and protect your interests. But the math works differently than you think. The person who consistently gives more than expected doesn't lose. They build a network of people who want to see them succeed. They create goodwill that compounds like interest. Generosity isn't a cost. It's the best investment you'll ever make.

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."

Notice what this verse doesn't say. It doesn't say iron comforts iron. It says sharpens. Sharpening requires friction. Heat. Pressure. The best relationships in your life won't always feel comfortable. They'll challenge you, hold you to a standard, make you sharper than you could have ever become alone. That's the core of real community. It’s not the people who tell you what you want to hear, but the people who tell you what you need to hear, who you will be most grateful for.

Your Challenge Today —

Do one thing for someone today that they didn't ask for and won't expect. Not something over the top. Something small but specific. Carry something. Send a message that says "I noticed that you did _________, thank you / great job." Help with a task that isn't your responsibility.

Don't post about it. Don't tell anyone you did it. Let the service and kindness be the point.

Know someone who needs this? Sign Them Up & Tell Them You Did!