The Ironic Benefits of Putting Others First
Putting other people first will make us magnets to success
No, you didn’t read that title wrong. Putting others first really does benefit our lives in countless ways.
Before I break down each benefit below, I want to point out that we only receive the benefits listed below if our intention behind putting others first is pure.
Put simply, we need to put others first not because we want one of the benefits I’m about to describe, but because you love humans and you feel all humans deserve to be prioritized, treated with respect, and given opportunities.
As long as that is your “WHY” behind putting others first, you will see these benefits start to pour into your life.
If you mentally are only putting others first to get bigger gains for yourself, then you aren’t actually putting them first. The emotion behind your actions will feel off and people will quickly spot the lack of sincerity in your actions.
Benefits of prioritizing the interests of others
Be Genuine and put others first, then these side effects will follow. You’ll notice that these benefits build off of each other. Usually you’ll experience #1 which will result in #2 and or #3 naturally occurring. Prioritizing others consistently will cause these benefits to snowball and build off of one another.
#1 Reduces Stress
Putting the needs of others first is a huge act of service. Doing so means sacrificing something in our own lives to improve someone else’s life.
Serving others can actually lead to a reduction in Cortisol, which is the stress hormone.
Additionally, these“feel-good” chemicals and hormones are released in the brain when we serve:
- Serotonin: Increased serotonin is linked to mood regulation and well-being
- Endorphins: This is a natural pain reliever that help reduce stress and promote a sense of relaxation
- Oxytocin: This “bonding hormone” connects you emotionally to the person you serve which promotes feelings of security and connection which also reduces stress (This highly correlates with #1 and #2)
#2 Build Trust
When we invest in what others first they begin to trust us. Essentially if you help them with something specific you will be seen as the expert in that area and they will perceive you as such.
You will be remembered as someone who took the time to understand what they needed/wanted and then prioritized it.
Trust is an essential building block in all healthy relationships. Prioritizing others first will result in deeper more meaningful relationships.
This will lead to a more fulfilling life and potential opportunities down the road.
#3 Receive Quality Opportunities
It is no secret that the best opportunities come as a “referral” from someone you know. Whether they refer you to a new job, set you up on a blind date, or even an entrepreneurial opportunity, they generally come from someone trusting you to do a good job.
Building a community of people who trust you will result in them continuing to pass opportunities your way. This will skyrocket your chances for success.
#4 Build A Community of Walking Advocates
Even if an individual doesn’t have any opportunities to pass your way, the trust they built with you (mentioned in #1) will result in them becoming your walking advocate.
By walking advocate, I mean someone who talks highly of you whenever they get the chance. When you are mentioned they will instantly perk up and suggest how great you are. They wouldn’t be selling your services or trying to get you more opportunities, but they would instantly ensure that the narrative around you stays intensely positive.
You will begin to build a reputation of competence, trust, helpfulness, positivity, etc.
Having this reputation spread for you will benefit you so much more than anything you could do to try and promote this reputation on your own.
You will feel as if you have momentum with people before you even have a personal interaction with them. Everything you do with them will feel easier because of it.
What Does Putting Others First Look Like?
Putting others can look widely different because the desires of each individual will be very different from each other. But in each case, you will need to find what is more important to the other person and then prioritize that thing.
Here is a simple story illustrating the snowballing effects of kindness.
You are in college with a fellow classmate who is struggling to understand the material. Putting others first would be sacrificing some study time for yourself in order to walk them through the material and help them understand.
Benefit #1
The student feels your investment in them and expresses their gratitude. The only benefit you’ll receive in the moment is the emotional joy of serving someone else which will result in reduced stress for yourself. This reduced stress will help you perform better in school.
Benefit #2
Helping this individual strengthened your friendship with this person and they begin to trust you more. As your friendship grows, your college life is more fulfilling, and support each other regularly through classes.
Benefit #3
After graduation your friend is working for a job and one of their co-workers quits. They believe that you would be a great fit for the job and refer you to their manager. The manager has doubts, but your friend sells him/her on the job and you get a big shot at doing something you are passionate about.
Benefit #4
Lastly, years later you and your friend part ways and move on to other jobs, but you both keep in touch. You are excited to start your own business and are having a hard time getting clients. Your friend doesn’t need your services personally but begins to promote them casually whenever someone they know could benefit from it. They have become your walking advocate.
This is just one example of simply helping someone in class one day in college. Imagine the impacts on your life if you continually service and put others first.
It would be truly life change.
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I hope you’ve found this article insightful! Please consider following my page for more advice on helping young professionals skyrocket their success. — Alma Thurber