Appreciation Marketing – What is Karma?

The word karma has multiple meanings. It may be defined as the actions determining a future state; the quality of someone’s current and future life is determined by that person’s behavior in this present life. It also can be defined as the atmosphere radiated by a place, situation, person, or object. I also believe that karma can be good or bad.

Over the past few weeks we have discussed what karma can mean to both your personal and business lives. Many of you who read this blog weekly subscribe to the belief that whatever you do in life, whether it be good or bad, will be reflected in your future. Other readers do not agree, while some responders have contacted me to ask what karma exactly means in our life.

If you believe in the principles of karma, you accept that whatever you do in your business or personal life will be reflected in your later life. In other words, if you treat other people with decency and appreciation, your actions will be reflected in your future. If you help others to succeed in their businesses, others will help you to succeed in your business. That is good karma.

There are lots of people in your life who may need your help in some form or fashion. Maybe they have a business which can benefit from some assistance from you; maybe they need some assistance in their personal life. It could be someone needing advice on their marketing, or it could be someone who needs the name of a good plumber.

Helping them is good karma.

Of course, the reverse can also be true. Let’s say that you have information that can benefit someone else, but if you do not offer that assistance to the other person involved, that is bad karma. It may not require any action on your part or any adverse action towards the other person, but bad karma will result from whatever you do, or don’t do.

A friend of mine explains this concept in these words: “No matter what you practice in life, good or bad, you will receive the same in return. Whether you offer good or bad, karma will return, good or bad, to influence you in the future.” We are all products of whatever we do in life. If we put forth good deeds, we will receive good benefits in the future. Put forth bad actions, or no actions, and bad benefits will result in the future.

Whatever you do to assist someone improve their life is a means of gaining future benefit for yourself. However, life should not be about doing good to benefit you; it should be about doing the “right thing”. The “right thing” is whatever you know deep down in your heart is what you should do as a matter of life. The “right thing” means helping other people without expecting anything in return. Don’t keep score.

In business relationships you should “check your ego at the door”. In other words, stop putting yourself first. Put others first, and do whatever you can to help others in their lives, either business or personal. Be of service to others and stop looking for whatever others can do for you. Just “do the right thing”, and see what happens to your future. Karma rewards good works and punishes bad works. It is the “right thing” to do.

Please leave me your comments, or email me at Jim@JimTeasley.com, or call me at 360-314-8691. Let’s all embrace karma for what it is, a lifestyle that can help everyone.