How To Squeeze More Value Out Of People

People are like the sun.

They can be a beautiful source of energy.

Or they can be a cancerous source of toxicity.

It really comes down to how you interact with them.

Will you use people to support you in your dreams?

Or will you let people pull you down to the level they want you?

Will you create relationships with people that add value as they grow.

Or will you become dependent on people that drain you more than they give.

The choice is yours.

People are a resource that is more accessible than ever before.

But it’s up to you to find them and get the value that they’re eager to give.

If you need help with the first part, here’s how to find the right people faster.

Otherwise, today I’m going to share with you how to squeeze more value out of people.

Before we start, let’s be clear.

It sounds completely wrong to talk about getting “value” out of people.

It makes the human experience sound cold, calculated, and transactional.

That sucks.

But honestly speaking, that’s how I see the world.

I’m not as emotional as others.

And every human interaction is a life transaction.

That’s a post for another day.

But for today, get past the idea of mean, wrong, and right.

Just focus on the lessons about how to improve your life through human interaction.

Save the debating for another day.

And let’s get into tip number one.

Tip 1: Ask for more.

This is the simplest way to get more value out of people.

All you have to do sometimes is open your mouth and ask for what you need.

You’d be surprised how many timid, shy, people will starve to death watching someone eat a feast of food.

Your grandma used to say, “Closed mouths don’t get fed.”

And that’s exactly what she meant.

I was working with a non-profit doing lots of volunteer work.

Most of it was busy work or staffing a 5k walk here or there.

Then one day, I spoke to their head event organizer and said, “I noticed you guys do business events too. I would love to be a part of those events because I love business.”

No later than a couple of weeks, I was in front of 100+ c-suite executives for a leadership event.

I got to go up and speak.

And even better I got to network with a lot of powerful men and women.

It was a win-win for everyone.

And all I had to do was open my mouth and ask.

Tip 2: Be specifically talented.

This lesson was something I had to learn the hard way.

If you want the full story I shared it here: Losing Opportunities

But long story short, my opportunities in life started skyrocketing when I decided to be talented.

And not just in general, but talented in a specific area.

That took me from making chump change in college, to making good money my peers only dreamed of.

And the key is to learn to be deliberate about what you want to be know for.

And then act and move like you’re the best ever at it.

You can be the world’s best cup pong player, the corniest youtuber, or the faster car washer.

Whatever it is, if you choose to be talented and in just one area, your opportunities will explode.

And that’s because others will find those opportunities for you.

For me, I decided to be the best videographer on campus.

And the people around me shared any and every video gig with me.

My name was always in the conversation.

That’s value that Fortune 500 companies pay millions for.

And all I had to do was be specifically talented.

Tip 3: Share your mission.

The one thing I hate more than asking someone for help, is asking someone for help for free.

But I’ve noticed that it’s so much easier to give money, time, or energy to a mission rather than a person.

And that’s why we should always be sharing our missions not our woe-is-me stories.

Before you ask anyone for anything, think about your ultimate goal.

What are you really trying to accomplish here?

That is what you should share with people.

People love an underdog story, and as humans, we’re all underdogs.

So share your mission first, and then make your ask.

It makes people 1000x more eager to give and help your cause.

No wonder these non-profit CEOs are taking home millions each year.

For me, I remember having to plan a country wide tour when we starting our business.

But we had like $200 bucks to our name.

So there was no budget for hotels or fancy dining.

What we did instead was message people on a site called couch surfing, to see if we could sleep in their homes for free.

Let’s just say, the rejections were flowing in expeditiously.

But as soon as me and business partner changed our pitch from, “two dudes trying crash in your home” to “two young entrepreneurs spreading creativity around the world need support” everything changed.

We were able to lodge for free in 20+ cities in the U.S. .

And we’re talking really nice sleeping arrangements and amenities.

That’s when I learned the power of sharing a mission.

And now I always start with my mission.

Those are just a few ways to get more value out of people.

And they all start with you making changes to the way you handle yourself.

Because getting more value out of other humans will always start with getting more value out of you…

In progress,

Tim

P.S. - Read this. It might change your life…