Value Is Relative

An idea that I believe is extremely important, but has lost its edge because it has been overused, is the intention to add value. Those who add value to a project or relationship tend to benefit from it themselves.

This is a cornerstone to what Jim Rohn says about getting wealthy: “We get paid for bringing value to the marketplace.” In one of his iconic lectures, Rohn talks about how dynamic value is. One person gets paid $20 an hour, one person gets paid $50 an hour, and another gets paid $500 an hour for doing the "same thing". 

And all 3 people probably put in the same amount of effort… What’s different is the value that was created by that effort.

But the amount of value that’s created isn’t only determined by the giver, it’s also determined by the receiver. Value is a perception for how well something satisfies a need, and if someone is of greater need then they assign a greater value.

For example someone might pay a few dollars for a bottle of water. But if that person went 3 days without drinking and there was only one water bottle left for many miles, they’ll pay a lot more for that water. It’s perceived to be of greater value.

Or let’s say someone invested in a new course. The person who hardly pays attention to it doesn’t think it’s that valuable because they didn’t get much out of it, but the person who studied the material diligently places great value in it because it left a huge impression on them.

Value is relative. It’s completely dependent on the circumstances. Understanding that, it serves us to think about how we can position what we do to maximize the value we can offer. When we get more effective at identifying, communicating, and solving people’s problems, the value you create attracts a lot of value in return.

So think about how you can be of service today. What’s the biggest thing you have to contribute, and how do you get yourself contributing that more often?