I succeed when I help others succeed

Two days ago I wrote about how values triumph passions when it comes to my career and work. Writing it out was super helpful. I realise now that helping others is an important part of who I am and how I work.

Like how I dropped everything just now to help a customer with her Carrd plugin. That wasn’t even on the menu for my deep work session this 5am morning. But when someone asks, I help. It’s a natural drive and instinct. (Of course, sometimes for the worse when the other party is out to take advantage of it).

I wonder if perhaps that’s why my Plugins project worked better than others. I’m constantly helping people with it. There’s a steady stream of help requests for it, either directly to me or via the communities I’m actively contributing to – Reddit, Facebook.

Likewise for my design consultancy Outsprint. It’s social impact focused, so the mission is all about helping society and for greater good. The process is also about helping government agencies and non-profit organisations be more user-centric. I’ve always enjoyed helping them, and recently realised that I also enjoy coaching others. All about helping.

Even Lifelog started out altruistically. We were a homeless bunch of writers and I stepped up to fill the gap. But interestingly after the initial launch, I didn’t have a mechanism to help people continually so it waned.

In fact, it was the same “helping others” reframing that helped me in marketing. I struggled with marketing initially because it felt like slimey hardselling. Later I reframed it to leverage on the personality trait I have – I enjoy helping others. So marketing got reframed to more about helping others succeed, using my product. It got waaay easier after that!

My social impact products made during COVID did really well because they were 100% altruistic. All the more social proof.

Entrepreneurship is often about building an empire to many. But for me, the overarching principle had always been – entrepreneurship is about helping others. The hope is that if I help enough people, the profits will follow.

So the big epiphany here:

Perhaps things didn’t work out for other products because I didn’t have a mechanism to help others on a consistent basis. When products happened on a mechanism to help others, it worked better. When it didn’t, it slowly faded away, because I didn’t feel needed. There’s no exchange of energy. I feed on the energy of others seeking help. They appreciate and in return I benefit from the social capital.

Again and again, it comes back to helping others. The common thread is altruism.

I think I’m on to something here!