We are all striving to be more successful. We usually are working on one area of our life or another at any given time. In our quest to succeed, we seek out information that helps us get what we want or where we would like to be. We listen to friends, read magazines, go to seminars, watch videos, and get this information any place we can. The problem is that we get tricked into thinking there is some secret to success, or that there’s one thing we need to do. The reality is that there is no one thing. To be successful in any area requires a complicated formula made up of many factors.
That being said, it dawned on me that there is one fundamental principle that is critical. I know this to be true, as it came to me as I was reflecting on it after being asked by a young student this question… What do you think is the most important key to success?
My answer came down to this… Treat others the way you would want to be treated. I know this isn’t original. It’s the old Golden Rule. You can find this in the Bible said this way… “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31). Pretty simple, huh? I actually put the idea into a question though. I constantly ask myself, What would I want me to do if I were them? (I’ve been doing it so long that it has now become a habit, so I don’t think about asking myself the question any more.)
Here’s how this works: Imagine being at work when a customer calls asking if you have a particular product in stock because they need it to complete a project that they are working on. They sound urgent, but understand that you are busy and that you will likely not get back to them right away. It would be perfectly acceptable to wait until after lunch, the end of the day, or even the next day to look up the product and find out if you have what they are looking for. So, waiting until later is no big deal.
Now, let’s use that question I mentioned earlier. If you ask yourself… What would I want me to do if I were them?… it changes things a bit. If I were them, I would want me to hang up the phone, look up the product and call me right back. It would be incredibly helpful, it would be extraordinary, and would likely inspire me to tell others about you and your business. So aside from it being the best thing you could do, it would also lead to an increase in business and, thus, increased success.
What if your spouse is expecting you at home for dinner, but you know your last meeting is going to run late and that there will be more traffic than usual. You know that you will be almost an hour later than expected, but it’s not your fault, and things like this happen from time to time. You could just explain it when you get home. If you ask that question, though… what would you want you to do if you were your spouse… making a quick call as soon as possible would be helpful, courteous, and ensure they know what’s going on.
You can apply this to any personal or professional interaction, and the results will amaze you. Your level of success in any area will improve if you implement asking just that one question.
If I were a cashier at the grocery store waiting on me, would I like me talking on my cell phone while I tried ringing up the groceries? Nope! If I was my co-worker waiting on my report before I could move on to my next task, would I want me to finish the report right away or wait until the end of the day? Right away! If I was my wife and had my hair done that day, would I want me to notice it and compliment it? Yep! If I was sitting in traffic, trying to get in the next lane over, would I want me to slow down just a bit and wave me over, allowing me to get where I need to be? Of course!
I have found that the simplest way to reduce my stress and increase success in relationships, business, and, most of all, with my patients, is to make all of my decisions based on doing things the way I would want them done if I were the other person.
