“The only way to get love is to be lovable. It’s very irritating if you have a lot of money. You’d like to think you could write a check: ‘I’ll buy a million dollars’ worth of love.’ But it doesn’t work that way. The more you give love away, the more you get.” — Warren Buffett
Happy World Kindness Day, my friends! I’ve actually been celebrating kindness all month through the Small Changes Big Shifts + SevenDays “31 Days of Kindness Campaign.”
It’s no surprise. Kindness isn’t something to be bought and sold. You can’t buy genuine connection, loyalty, or trust – you can only earn them through consistent, caring behavior. And paradoxically, the more generously you give these qualities, the more abundantly they return to you.
This principle challenges much of what we see in professional environments. There’s often an assumption that authority, position, or resources can substitute for genuine relationship building. Leaders sometimes try to command respect rather than earn it. Colleagues might attempt to leverage titles or position rather than building real trust. But authentic relationships follow different rules.
Being “lovable” in professional contexts means being the kind of person others genuinely want to work with. It means showing interest in colleagues as people, not just as resources. It means celebrating others’ successes without feeling diminished. It means offering help without keeping score. It means being consistent in your kindness regardless of what you might gain.
The multiplication effect of giving kindness away is remarkable. When you’re genuinely supportive of a colleague’s success, they’re more likely to support yours. When you show real interest in someone’s challenges, they become more invested in helping you with yours. When you’re generous with credit and praise, people want to contribute to your projects.
This isn’t strategic manipulation. Rather, it’s authentic relationship building based on recognizing our fundamental interconnectedness. We succeed best when we help others succeed. We feel most fulfilled when we’re contributing to something larger than ourselves.
The beautiful thing about kindness is that it costs nothing to give but creates tremendous value for everyone involved. When life may feel increasingly transactional, choosing to be genuinely kind and supportive becomes a competitive advantage. More importantly, it makes work more meaningful and enjoyable for everyone.
Happy World Kindness Day! Happy Networking!