And thanks to some groundbreaking research, this once untested idea now has the weight of the scientific community supporting it.

Earlier this week, researchers from UC and Harvard published research that proves that cooperative behavior is contagious and that it spreads from person to person to person. When people benefit from kindness they “pay it forward” by helping others who were not originally involved, and this creates a cascade of cooperation that influences dozens more in a social network.

“Pay it forward” really works!

So now that we know paying it forward pays off, one question remains:

WHO WILL YOU HELP TODAY?

P.S. The idea behind “pay it forward” lies at the heart of TAG’s Golden Rule of Networking, which simply states: “To build a powerful connection with another person, you must give value first.” You can read more here.

Caption: This diagram illustrates how a single act of kindness can spread between individuals and across time. Cooperative behavior spreads three degrees of separation: if Eleni increases her contribution to the public good, it benefits Lucas (one degree of separation), who gives more when paired with Erika (two degrees of separation) in period 2, who gives more when paired with Jay (three degrees of separation) in period 3, who gives more when paired with Brecken in period 4. The effects also persist over time, so that Lucas gives more when paired with Erika (period 2) and also when paired with Lysander (period 3), Bemy (period 4), Sebastian (period 5), and Nicholas (period 6). The effect also persists at two degrees of separation, as Erika not only gives more when paired with Jay (period 3), but also when paired with Harla (period 4) and James (period 5). All the paths in this illustrative cascade are supported by results in the experiments, and it is important to note that if Eleni decreases her initial contribution then her uncooperative behavior can spread and persist as well.

Credit: Courtesy James Fowler, UC San Diego

In the long run, the A students work for the B students. The C students run the businesses.  And the D students get the buildings named after them.

~ Tom Peters: Educate for a Creative Society

What do you think? Let me know!

IS YOUR IDEA OF SUCCESS TRULY YOUR OWN?

My favorite line:  Next time you see somebody driving a Ferrari, don’t think, “This is somebody who is greedy.”  Think, “This is somebody that is incredibly vulnerable and in need of love.”

You could say Zack was the opposite of me – he had a ton of amazing professional connections within his chosen industry [starting out, I had none].  However, his lack of knowledge led others to believe he was not qualified for the job he wanted.  And he struggled to leverage his connections to get a great job.

So Zack came to TAG looking for the right knowledge.  What he got was an education spanning 5 major categories:

• Career strategy: Through TAG’s program, Zack was able to assess his targeted job position and begin to formulate a path to reach his career goal.  I’m talking about strategic career planning with specific, time-bound, measurable goals.

• Industry insight: Zack achieved a level of insight that cannot be learned from books or career guides.  From a company insider, he learned the keys to his dream company’s competitive advantage.  He learned how he could add value to the bottom line of that company.  Imagine if you too could articulate to your dream company that hiring you is a “no brainer”.  This is the key to an unfair career advantage.

• Personal branding: Zack learned the power of a strong personal brand.  In just a few TAG sessions, he molded his personal brand – both on- and off-line – and saw an immediate increase in his professional marketability.  In addition to having one cohesive image on the web, he now also has a Memory Hook that can be repeated to anyone he meets.  He is now memorable for all the right reasons.

• Talent acquisition: Zack also learned how to develop his professional skill circuits.  From financial modeling to public speaking, he learned some simple systems that led to quantum leaps in his professional performance.

• Social circle mastery: With TAG, Zack mastered the inner and outer game of social circles.  He learned how to demonstrate higher value and immediately “win” vested-interest connections – these are the strongest types of connections you can have.  He also learned how to become an interesting and captivating storyteller.

This knowledge, combined with his powerful professional network, allowed Zack to cross the chasm, safely avoiding cosmic career doom.

It’s fair to say that he is now “living the dream” – he’s currently perched up in a sweet executive office as one of the youngest Vice Presidents in a prestigious investment house.  It seems that having right knowledge helped alter the lens through which others viewed Zack.  And this was his key to commanding respect and getting a great job.

The right knowledge – the knowledge acquired in TAG’s program – was the key to his unfair career advantage.  Why not make it yours?

Note: for further details about the knowledge acquired in TAG’s mentorship program, click here.

Now, I want to arm you with the ammunition to fight back and secure the career you’ve been trained for, the career you so ardently want – and the salary you wish to earn.  What you are about to read might shock you:

THERE IS A MAGIC BULLET FOR CAREER SUCCESS.

You see, achieving your career dreams is not an impossible feat. In fact, a proven formula exists – one that virtually guarantees career success.  Before I share it with you, a warning:

BE CAREFUL!

Do not make the mistake of dismissing this knowledge as a simple suggestion, cliché, or random idea.  If you do, the importance of these elements as bedrock principles will be lost.  Now that you’ve been warned, let’s get to it.  Here is the magic bullet for career success:

The right knowledge + the right professional connection = Career success

The right knowledge and the right professional connection will turn your career dream into reality.  It’s that simple.

BUT BE CAREFUL!

Like most “simple ideas,” there is a wealth of insight buried within this statement.  And over the next couple of months, I will be unearthing this insight and sharing it with you.

Thanks for reading and please take a moment to join the conversation.

Shameless plug:  Do you have the right knowledge but lack the right professional connection?  Do you have the right network, but need the right knowledge?  Still working on both?  TAG was created to solve the success equation for you.  Click here to learn more.