Tag: making the world a better place

Other People’s Garbage

My neighbor rakes his leaves
and sends them
to the city
for composting.

I have expanded my garden
this year
and I know
I won’t have enough leaves
to cover it
over winter.

My soil would greatly benefit
from that natural fertilizer.

So I asked my neighbor
if I could rake
and keep his leaves.

He’s an older man
and was happy
to let me do that.

For me,
leaves are priceless
forms of fertilizer.
I would PAY for them.

For him,
they are a nuisance
and garbage.
He’s giving them away
happily
for FREE.

THIS is the type of business
you ideally want to build
– one where the inputs
are seen as garbage,
as something to be
given away,
but can be turned
into a product
other people will happily pay for.

Look for that type of business.

The Leftover Halloween Candy

You stocked up
on Halloween candy,
both to give out to customers
and to give out to trick-or-treaters.

You didn’t give out
as much candy
as you expected to do.

Halloween is over.

What do you do
with the leftover candy?

You COULD continue
giving it to customers
but some of them
will view the candy
as being leftovers or ‘old’
and that isn’t something
you likely want associated
with your business.

I give our leftover candy
to the food bank.
Needy people enjoy treats also.
It makes them feel good.

And that puts more badly needed positivity
out into the world.

Change the world
or A world.
Donate your leftover Halloween candy.

If You Can Help Someone…

I usually have
a YouTube video
playing in the background
on mute
as I work.

I’ve created a playlist
of videos
by creators
who are seeking
sponsors.

And I play that playlist.

These creators
attract sponsors
and earn funds
from their sponsors
based on how many subscribers
they have.

They gain more subscribers
if YouTube shows
their videos to more people.

YouTube shows
their videos to more people
if more people watch them
(it is circular, I know).

So I ‘watch’ their videos.
That costs me
very little
and it helps these creators out.

Is that ‘cheating’
the system?

Yes.
But all helping
is cheating the system.

My friends buy my books
to help my Amazon rankings
so Amazon shows my books
to more people.
That’s technically cheating also.

If you can help someone
and it costs you
very little,
help them.

Make their world
a better place.

Donating Office Supplies

It is back to school time
in the Northern Hemisphere.

It is the perfect time
to donate
some of your surplus office supplies.

Because office supplies
can often be used
as back to school supplies.

I had 31 white binders
I had once used
to hold manuscripts.

A primary school
nearby
was happy to have them.

I donated two backpacks
to the Little Free Library.
They were gone
in less than an hour.

I’d been given
those backpacks
as schwag.

I also donated a package
of pens
I’d been given
as a gift.

Donate unwanted
office supplies.

Put that positive energy
into the world.
Make someone’s life better.

Let People Be Happy

A loved one sent out
a happy message
telling everyone
she bought a new car.

Some people commented
(to all)
that it wasn’t the car
they would have bought
and explained why
in great detail.

Some people commented
that it must be nice
to be able to afford a new car.

Some people told her
she could have gotten
the same car used
for much less money.

I told her
that I was happy for her
and that I looked forward
to roadtrips with her
in the future.

The world is an absolute
tire fire.

Just let people be happy.
At least for a few days.

Entrepreneurs Never Truly Retire

I told a buddy
I was winding down
the romance novel business.

She asked me,
“What business
are you starting next?”

I grinned.
Because the odds are good
I WILL be starting
another venture,
whether it is for profit
or as a total give back
to the world.

Because that is what
entrepreneurs
and other business builders
do
– we build businesses.

And that doesn’t stop
at a certain age.

We All Had Help

Anyone who is successful
(any definition of successful)
has had help.

They might not acknowledge
that help.
Heck, they might not
KNOW about the help
they were given.

But it was there.

Someone helped them.
Usually numerous someones
numerous times.

I, for example,
a couple days ago,
suggested another writer’s book
for a Best Of 2024 Award.
I didn’t tell that writer.
I just did it.

And if she wins
or is nominated,
I will be happy for her
and I will continue to be silent
about my part
in that success.

Everyone has had help.

Help others.

Hope others help you.

When you’ve achieved success,
realize that someone DID help you.

Tell People You’re Proud Of Them

I’ve recently posted
about this
but,
with the clip of Catherine O’Hara
telling Macaulay Culkin
she was proud of him
going viral,
I felt we might need to hear it
again.

Tell people you’re proud
of them.

That’s all you have to say.
“I’m proud of you.”

Those four words
are super powerful.

How powerful are they?

They’re so powerful
hearing them said
to another person
can make people happy.

One of my online buddies
told me she replays the Catherine O’Hara clip
at least once a day
and she imagines Catherine O’Hara
is saying those words to HER.

Tell people you’re proud of them.
It will change their lives
for the better.

For Their Health

A buddy in the the travel business
told me
they are seeing an increase
in bookings for vacations
for ‘mental health reasons.’

The world is a mess.
People are under
a lot of stress due to that.

They are searching
for ways
to decrease that stress.

Does your product/service
decrease stress?

Does it offer an escape?
Does it take some of the workload
off people?
Does it make their lives easier?

Stress that
in your marketing material.

Encourage prospects
to buy your products/services
‘for their mental health.’

There’s a growing need
for that.

Your Good Deeds Will Eventually Go Public

When I help others,
I do it
as quietly as possible.

I don’t want the recognition.
That’s not why
I’m helping others.

But I know
my good deeds
will eventually go public.

There’s always a trail.
And we live in a world
where everyone has a recording device
and is constantly using it.

Someone WILL say something
or post something
or tell someone.

When I help others,
I accept that will happen.

You don’t have to tell others
about your good deeds.

Someone else
will eventually share
that news.

And it will be more powerful
because it is being shared
by that someone else.

There is no need
to broadcast your good deeds.