How do you get what you want?

What are some things you want from others?

I don’t mean money or stuff, like you really wish your friend would loan you his car or your boss would give you a raise.

I’m talking about intangible things. What do you want?

Time?

Respect?

Attention?

A hug or a smile?

Validation?

Affirmation?

The benefit of a doubt when you screw up?

Kindness?

Encouragement?

Trust?

How good are you at giving those things to others? I mean giving them for FREE. No strings attached.

Whatever it is you want more of in your life, start giving it. Not so that others will feel obligated to give it back — they probably won’t, though it is true that people often respond in kind. “What you give, you get.”

But beyond that, when you get in the practice of giving the things you want, two things happen: 1) You create an abundance mindset. There is plenty of time, plenty of respect, plenty of attention, plenty of affection to go around. You’ll start seeing more and more of it in your life. 2) You get better at boundaries. As counterintuitive as it seems, giving the things…