Pay It Forward — a random act of kindness that is unreciprocated but leaving the person who paid it forward feeling absolutely fabulous!
I delivered a talk at a local networking meeting and it was about this very subject. It’s something I have been influenced by my whole life — people giving for absolutely no reason and feeling so good for it afterwards.
Did you know that it is scientifically proven that a generous person is a more happier person? Yep that’s right. Start being generous peeps… you’ll be glad you did. And the rest of us will too.
So, more about Pay It Forward. I came up with the idea for the talk when I was driving along thinking about what my talk should be based on. I was trying to think of areas of my life or life changing experiences I had that might be interesting (even a little bit) and I suddenly thought of this. Then I started to think back about the film — it came out in the year 2000.
The synopsis is this (taken from IMDB):-
Eugene Simonet, an emotionally and physically scarred social studies teacher, challenges his young students to devise some type of philanthropic plan and put it into effect. A young boy, whose own life is far from rosy, takes the assignment to heart and invents the “pay-it-forward” philosophy, which encourages paying back favors in advance. The whole town embraces the boy’s concept, and random acts of kindness become a community pastime. Though celebrated by acquaintances and the media, the boy struggles at home with his alcoholic mother, and the only one who recognizes his lonely fight is Eugene Simonet.
After thinking of the film I started researching Pay It Forward and I am so glad I did. It’s amazing when you start thinking about it. In America, they even have a day for ‘Pay It Forward!’ Check it out yourself.
How do you Pay it Forward? Have you thought about it like that before? You probably pay it forward every day without realising it (unless you’re Mr/Ms Grump!) When you drive yourself to and from work, are you the kind of person that gives way, or do you smile at the person walking towards you on the same side of the road, do you let the elderly lady go in front of you in the line because she only has a handful of things in her basket? List goes on and on as you can tell…you are no doubt thinking about ways you have paid it forward in your life, even today! All little things that EVERYONE can do, that will make a huge difference to somebody.
Customer Service
What has pay it forward got to do with Customer Service or Business. In effect, MY business and YOUR business? Well, think about it. In your line of work how many people do you interact with a day, a week, a month? This is just business related numbers now. Say, 20 people a day if not more when you are out networking? How do you interact with these people? With a face like a burst boot (a saying from my fam — just go with it!) or do you interact and socialise with pleasantries or at least a smile? I personally think a smile can go a long way to forging good lasting relationships. Smile from the inside too and that will just shine through in your demeanor and everything you do! It’s the simples!
Go on, pay it forward today to someone, anyone! I dare you!
Have a lovely day!