The most underrated quality

Recently, I’ve been following a marketing expert who said something that took me by surprise:

“Be selfish. Listen to people.”

How can those two even relate to each other?

Well, they actually do.

You see, I’ve come to learn that no matter how many “selfless” acts we do, it is in our own and everyone else’s interest that we become selfish.

That doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t genuinely want good things for other people.

I genuinely want poverty to disappear.

I genuinely want world hunger to end.

I genuinely want people to have a purpose and be fulfilled in their lives.

Those ultimately do benefit me though. They would bring me balance, peace of mind, and a sense that justice has been made. It would make ME feel good. It’s selfish. And it’s not only selfish. And it’s not bad.

Remember, bad and good are human-made concepts. No animal or tree or fungi thinks in terms of good or bad.

Just being. Survival.

Our acts come from the need for survival and reproduction, once you cut it down to basics.

Consciousness, feelings, emotions…

…those are just the dressing on top. The qualities that make us human. They make us feel extra special…

Well… why on earth would listening to people make you selfish?

Because if you REALLY listen, you’d know what people actually need.

And if you know what they really need, you might just be able to provide it for them.

Be it love, affection, reassurance, or a new power drill.

And by listening, you’re doing two things:

1. Making that person feel that he/she matters to you.

2. Giving yourself the opportunity of bonding with and even helping that person.

And that makes it selfish because you will have won a piece of their heart and trust. You might need it someday. It’s called reciprocity, and humanity has come this far because of it.

It can still go so much further.

I wish we would all be a bit more selfish, and REALLY listen to each other a bit more.

Have a great day.

Claudio.

P.D: You can listen to my latest piano piece, Smiling Backwards, ← here.