October 25, 2010 37 Comments

How You Could Help

People ask me every day, “How can I help YOU?” I am SO horrible at this. I was just recording something with Keith Ferrazzi, he asked me, and I had nothing I needed. I’m just not good at asking, nor am I good at thinking about what I need.

You know one thing that would help me?

If you’re into personal development and business growth, subscribe to my free newsletter. If you’re already subscribed and you like it, please point it out to your friends.

That’s one thing that helps me.

If you want to help the world I care about, that’s another matter.

How You Could Help

Donate a few bucks to Skip1.org, and then ask your friends to do the same.
Refer jobs you can’t fulfill to others so they can get some work.
Read to your children. That helps me immensely.
Tell people they’re loved, especially people who don’t feel very loved.
Send movies to people recovering from chemo.
Buy a few extra books and give them to your local library.
Watch a few episodes of Invisible People and put a $5 in someone’s hand next time.
Comment on the up and comer’s blogs with as much kindness as you do on mine.
Share with your significant other how much you appreciate him or her, for all that she or he does to support your efforts to grow.
Make something. Anything. Use your thoughts and ideas and your abilities and make something as opposed to commenting or reflecting. Do something.

Those are also ways you can help.

Either/or. I’m happy with whichever. And thank you.

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Heidi Cohen

Chris – I love how you’ve focused “How you could help” on other people and the public in general. This Juliet view of sharing, the more-I-give-the-more-I-have, is at the core of social media. The problem is that most of us are too busy chasing numbers, be they the number of followers, sales or whatever, that we often miss the important things in life. Thank you for reminding us all to make the world a better place. Happy marketing, Heidi Cohen
Heidi Cohen

Chris – I love how you’ve focused “How you could help” on other people and the public in general. This Juliet view of sharing, the more-I-give-the-more-I-have, is at the core of social media. The problem is that most of us are too busy chasing numbers, be they the number of followers, sales or whatever, that we often miss the important things in life. Thank you for reminding us all to make the world a better place. Happy marketing, Heidi Cohen
http://twitter.com/DaveWellman DaveWellman

Chris – thanks for being “real” with your readers. I follow you closely and posts like this are why!
http://twitter.com/DaveWellman DaveWellman

Chris – thanks for being “real” with your readers. I follow you closely and posts like this are why!
http://twitter.com/DaveWellman DaveWellman

Chris – thanks for being “real” with your readers. I follow you closely and posts like this are why!
http://www.danieldecker.net Daniel Decker

Excellent list. Great to help you but even better to help the world in which we live. It’s a beautiful thing when we use our platforms to speak for those who are seldom heard and to encourage others to do good.
http://www.sueannereed.com Sue Anne Reed

I love your idea about sending movies to someone recovering from chemo. I just did something similar, but different. A very dear friend was just diagnosed with cancer. Prognosis is good, but it’s going to be a long road. I sent her two journals and a couple of nice pens. I figured what she needs more than anything right now is a place to vent. She’s a bit old school, and pen and paper are better than any electronic gadget.

After payday this weekend, I’ll be making a donation in her name to Livestrong.
Loisardito

I love this post Chris. Sometimes where you’re concerned I feel like I’m always taking from you. You are so willing to give out so much to so many and to me personally as well. I’m so happy that I can do something for you. You may not know exactly what I’m doing an when, but be assured that I’m doing it.
Everybody wants to bring something to the table to feel like a contributor to the experience, thank you for the list of what we can bring!

Always appreciate you,

Lois
http://www.kherize5.com Suzanne Vara

Chris

I agree so much here as like you, helping me is doing things for others that we do not always think about. I am also not so good at asking as I would rather see someone who really really needs the help be helped than someone spending time with helping me. Sure we all need help with things but there are always people who need it more. Go to them so that they can then help people too.

Helping is not always doing something so big … so many times it is just saying hello to someone so that they know you are there.

@SuzanneVara
- http://www.nathanmeffert.com Nathan Meffert
  
  Thanks for asking Chris. I love it. I’m going to do the same thing on my blog I think. And, in the spirit of building community by responding to each other, Suzanne, I’m going to do it again.
  
  We talk a lot about gifting and gifts can take many forms. It can even be a gift to ask for help. Many of our community members are just dying to help. Take the extreme example of the elderly people in our world. They are full of wisdom and insight and one of the great tragedies is that we don’t value it or ask for it. They suffer, we suffer.
  
  A true “gift economy” or human business culture involves just as much asking for help as it does giving. By extension, it also involves being able to graciously and fully receive the help that’s given.
  
  Perhaps receiving is, in fact, NOT as easy as giving. But it’s just as important.
http://www.TheFranchiseKingBlog.com The Franchise King

Fantastic idea to post this, Chris.

Thanks!

JL
http://thoughtwrestling.com/blog Mark Dykeman

I like the idea of items 5 and 6 – never thought of 5 before, but it probably makes sense because they might not feel like reading or whatever.

5 can be the seed for a lot of great ideas, actually.
http://raulcolon.net Raul Colon

I really liked number 4. so many people need this. I remember working in New York City and actually realizing how many people need to know they are loved.

I will work on this one and try to go through the list.
http://joer223.wordpress.com Jaco

3…4…and 8 really resonate with me. I was an English teacher in China for four years. What an education that was …..for me! Helping those kids helped me immensely. I’ve never felt so alive and needed in my whole life as I did during those years.
Anne Blakely

Nice thoughts. Nice post. Nice guy. (Thanks Chris for keepin’ it real and keeping things in their proper perspective.)
Anne Blakely

Nice thoughts. Nice post. Nice guy. (Thanks Chris for keepin’ it real and keeping things in their proper perspective.)
Anne Blakely

Nice thoughts. Nice post. Nice guy. (Thanks Chris for keepin’ it real and keeping things in their proper perspective.)
http://twitter.com/andreamv Andrea Meyer

Love your list. Nice range of ideas. I already read to my son, so I need to pick a different place to start. May I try to expand the list on my blog? Thanks! Andrea
http://www.purplecar.net/ PurpleCar

Let me offer a little riff here, if you would be so kind.

It’s an honor to help someone. Not everyone I meet is entitled to that honor, so I don’t ask them for help. Both the giver and the receiver must trust each other.

Here’s an example: I pass on my kid’s clothes to a family that can use them. This is a personal exchange, not via Salvation Army or any other charity. A woman I know has a daughter a year younger than mine, and every season I take her some of my daughter’s fashionable and well-preserved clothes. This woman allows me to do this, and I’m so grateful. She honors me with her gracious receiving of my offer. If she didn’t know me or trust me, I wouldn’t have the privilege of giving her anything. Almost all of the benefit of this exchange is reaped by me, I assure you. I am humbled by it.

People are not asking you if you need help, they are asking for the honor of your trust. Of course you wouldn’t hand out this honor unsparingly. Don’t beat yourself up about saying “Nah, I’m good” to those who overstep their position with you.

I like how you put out a general list in response; it’ll be a good thing to point strangers to when they try to do the “level-jump.”

Being the Trust Agent :-) that you are, Chris, I wonder if you ever think about this.

-Christine Cavalier
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http://thesocialjoint.com/ Lucretia M Pruitt

I love this list.
It’s nice to have a few more “can do”s on my list.
I have made a habit for years now of passing along compliments whenever I can – especially because it can often mean so much more to someone else at a given moment than I know from my perspective.
You have given back to your community (and more) for a long time now Chris.
Thank you.
Anonymous

It completely makes sense to me – why you are successful; there is so much authentic generosity in your soul – nothing disingenuous about it. The reason they’re always asking you is because you’re always helping others. Cool post. I dig.
Anonymous

It completely makes sense to me – why you are successful; there is so much authentic generosity in your soul – nothing disingenuous about it. The reason they’re always asking you is because you’re always helping others. Cool post. I dig.
http://www.deafmomworld.com Karen Putz

This one put a smile on my face this morning. :)
http://www.mazakaro.com Rahul @ MazaKaro

very helpful thank you for the list !! ; )
http://www.eugenoprea.com Eugen Oprea

That’s great Chris!

If everyone will do at least one thing from your list we will definitely have a better wold.

Eugen
http://www.melizabethwilliams.com/ Elizabeth Williams

I’d just like to add to #5: Do ANYTHING for someone recovering from Chemo (talk to them, buy groceries if they’re not in hospital, walk the dog, take out the trash, take the car for maintenance, hang out with them, make them an MP3 playlist just for them, etc.) except wear a ribbon to show you care. Don’t wear something for an ill person: DO something. :)
Kevin

Chris,
This is a fantastic list full of genuine ideas that portray your compassion for the human soul. But I would like to add something to the list. For example, #3 on the list, why does it have to be your children. How about volunteer at the local library for story time and read to a neighborhood of children or better yet, read at the local boys and girls club. Those children crave for bonding time and would grow immensely from it. As far as donating, you know my stand on that… Donating to help feed and sponsor orphaned children is a tremendous way to help. There are so many adoptive families out there that struggle with finances to help bring impoverished children home. A penny goes a long way if everyone donates just one.

Keep up the great work you do. We all appreciate your inspiration.

Kevin
http://www.blackfridayplanet.com/ William Hushburn

I’ve been telling my friends about this one but they seem to be so ignorant about it.
http://www.blackfridayplanet.com/ William Hushburn

I’ve been telling my friends about this one but they seem to be so ignorant about it.
Deborah Shane

Chris, the rules of engagement seem to always point to this question as the ultimate ‘door opener’ for people to peak interest in each other. I have had some conversations about this very question with a few prominent people in the social media landscape and they echo your thoughts. Most people ‘don’t know’. I really like how thoughtful that list you put together is in relations to your essence, values and persona. There are a multitude of ways people can help each other with regard to personal, business and community. I like to learn as much as I can about people before I engage them, and try to identify 2 or 3 main areas I see them passionate about and start there.
One of the best tools I have been using the past two years is my Blogtalk Radio show. I have been able to bring so many awesome, interesting people on to talk about how they are ‘making human business work’. Thanks for all that you do!
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http://www.DomainNitro.com Clay Burt

Keith is a great resource as well – so did you come up with anything for him to help you with?
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