Enlightened Self-Interest.

You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want. – Zig Ziglar

Self-interest is the act of focusing on one’s needs or interests. Enlightened self-interest involves serving the needs and interests of others while at the same time serving one’s needs. At the root cause of most wars, family rifts, divorces, conflicts, misunderstandings, and miscommunication is asking someone to act against their self-interest. The greed, avarice and selfishness often associated with the corporate (dog eat dog) world and capitalism are a result of unenlightened self-interest. Enlightened Self-interest can be expressed in various ways, such as doing well by doing good, paying it forward, not-for-profit organization, mentorship, coaching, and leadership, among others. American author Zig Ziglar once said “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”

People will do something—including changing their behavior—only if it can be demonstrated that doing so is in their own best interests as defined by their own values.

The Natural Law of Self-Interest ¹

People will do something—including changing their behavior—only if it can be demonstrated that doing so is in their own best interests as defined by their own values. When you take self-volition out of the equation and forces beyond your control are involved, natural law applies.

In order for me to get you to do what I want, I have to prove that doing so will benefit you in some way, immediately or somewhere down the road. This is natural law. Every choice, big or small, is a risk-reward decision where your bottom-line thinking is, “What’s in it for me?“

It’s the force that gets squabbling rivals to begin cooperating. If you drill down deep enough, you’ll find that they’re not doing it out of altruism or newfound saintliness. It’s the only way each of them can get what they want. It’s the force at work when people swallow their pride and admit they were wrong. Hard as it is for many folks to do, they’ll do it if it’s the only way to put the trouble behind them—and move on. It’s the reason people will turn down a better-paying job because they sense the new situation will not make them happier. They’re asking what’s in it for them, and concluding that they’d rather be happier than richer.

Everyone, even the biggest ego in the room, has a hot button that can be pushed—and that button is self-interest. All we have to do is find it. It’s not the same thing in all people.

Most people’s resistance to change can be overcome by invoking natural law. Everyone, even the biggest ego in the room, has a hot button that can be pushed—and that button is self-interest. All we have to do is find it. It’s not the same thing in all people.

If you press people to identify the motives behind their self-interest, it usually boils down to four items: money, power, status, and popularity. These are the standard payoffs for success. It’s why we will claw and scratch for a raise (money), for a promotion (power), for a bigger title and office (status). It’s why so many of us have a burning need to be liked by everyone (popularity).

The hot button is different for each person. And it changes over time, but it’s still guided by self-interest. Higher level self-irterest goals include: leaving a legacy” or “being an inspiring role model” or “creating a great company.”

If you press people to identify the motives behind their self-interest it usually boils down to four items: money, power, status, and popularity.

If you know what matters to you, it’s easier to commit to change. If you can’t identify what matters to you, you won’t know when it’s being threatened. People only change their ways when what they truly value is threatened. It’s in our nature. It’s the law.

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