I’ve experienced and seen this happen far too many times in my personal and business life to ignore its truth. It might not happen immediately or be very obvious but it always comes around in some way or another. This is why I try really hard not to screw people over or take short cuts along the way. Here are a few examples of when I’ve seen this rule get tested or tested it myself and learned a valuable lesson.

I was having a hard time getting through a gatekeeper once so I found out the CEOs cell phone number through other means. When he asked how I got it I told him I didn’t remember and thought it might have been from the receptionist. I ended up getting the deal but the receptionist obviously wasn’t too happy with me. Two years later I was working on a much bigger deal with a prospect and guess who was the Office Manager? Yup, you guessed it. Who has two thumbs and didn’t get that deal? This guy.

I won’t name the company or person but one of my jobs ended rather abruptly for everyone and there was a panic to find another job. There was an opportunity to go work for one of my clients at the time. I offered one of my colleagues the opportunity to come with me to see if we could both find work with them. He ended up going to them behind my back and getting the job. That company ended up going bankrupt and my former colleague/friend is now on his 3^rd job while I eventually went to work for myself and have been loving every minute of it ever since.

It happens on the positive side too. You give a start-up company a break when they’re just getting going and then they end up getting funding and sign a huge contract. You help someone deal with an issue and they refer you a new client. You donate your time to charity and end up striking up a conversation with an executive doing the same things and ultimately offers you a job in their company. All of these things have happened to me multiple times.

The point of this specific guiding principle is just don’t be a douche. Do things for the right reasons and treat people with respect along the way and you will eventually achieve the success you’re looking for. Good luck and happy selling!