We do not normally associate selfish people as being successful. In this hypothetical story, it turned out to be an asset

both personally and professionally.

When Adam was a little boy, he was very selfish. He gathered up all the toys in the classroom and would not share with others. The other children avoided him, and it was no fun playing alone. In a selfish attempt to make friends, he began to share. It worked. The more he shared, the more friends he had. Adam learned that kindness and consideration fed his selfish desires.

Over the years, Adam became very popular. He was not the best athlete, but he always got picked early by the team captain for various sports. This made him confident at a young age. The girls certainly noticed this, and as he got older, he became even more popular.

Being popular, kind, and considerate allowed Adam to develop deeper friendships than most of his peers. As a result, he matured socially and emotionally much faster. Now, he was popular with the older kids, too.

After high school, Adam attended the Eller College of Business. This is where his network of connections began to pay off. One of his older high school buddies was the president of the most prestigious business fraternity on campus. After pulling some strings, Adam was the first freshman ever admitted to that fraternity.

After graduation, one of his fraternity brothers offered Adam a job. Adam’s well-developed sense of kindness and generosity caused him to protect his coworkers and help them achieve their goals. They all began to view Adam as a true leader. Recognized for his leadership skills, Adam was put on the fast track to management. He became the youngest C-level executive in company history.

Let your imagination finish the rest of the story. Just remember, all of this happened because Adam started out as a selfish little boy.


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Bill Nordbrock is vice president of community relations for SCORE Southern Arizona, a nonprofit that offers free small-business counseling. For more information, go to southernarizona.score.org, send an email to mentoring@scoresouthernaz.org or call 505-3636.