51/49 Principle

For those who don’t know, Gary Vaynerchuk is a serial entrepreneur and social media personality with a ton of influence. 

One of Gary’s pillar principles described in his book “Thank You Economy” is the 51/49 principle, which basically states that you should give 51% of the time and receive 49% of the time.  He says this is valuable in business because then you have leverage in the relationship, but it is also a good tactic to use in a more casual capacity because it prepares you for the long term and whatever that entails. 

So today’s tip is to use the 51/49 principle, or more conventionally known as giving more than you take. 

This concept works for a few reasons. First is reciprocity. It is a human condition to want to remove debts you owe to someone else because holding debt is uncomfortable by nature. This principle positions you to reap the benefits of others’ reciprocity. Additionally, giving is an innate mental boost, and there are physiological benefits to giving to other people.

So how can you give? Well you have more to offer than you might think. Obviously you can aid someone financially, but more creatively, you can also offer your attention, expertise, emotional support, advice, or time. All of these things are an asset that possess their own equity and can easily be shared with others as part of this 51/49 paradigm.