New, compelling evidence that the United States of America is approaching the status of a third world nation has emerged in the last few years. It may seem ludicrous that one of the countries on the forefront of technology has citizens in a state of squalor but surveys and reports paint an alarming picture of the United States as falling so far down the economic scale of the world that the country will lose its status as a world power.

Being simply present and holding a respectful attitude that includes being willing to help but not being pushy about it, along with a compassionate understanding of the person’s difficulties go a long way towards gaining a friend in need rather than an enemy with an attitude.

Every person is anchored by their beliefs for good or bad. Everyone experiences difficulty at some point, some more severe or consistent than others. It is the anchoring beliefs in a person’s life that determine how that person will react when faced with challenges.

Compassion is an altruistic human emotion, allowing those with it the ability to feel another person’s suffering as if it was their own. This does not mean self-sacrificial tendencies must follow but that greater good will come from an important human emotion born from natural, social experiences.

Unfortunately, business culture more often than not fails to see it this way. A business decision in modern society generally means a decision made for the greater good of the company but at the expense of the community. These decisions are short-sighted and do not always give the company a competitive edge.

Are your beliefs shaped by your experience or do you experience what you believe?
Your answer may depend on whether you live your life defensively or proactively. Defensive attitudes around your beliefs mean that your experience shapes your beliefs. In your life, you’ve experienced X,Y, or Z and you’ve come to believe certain things as a result of those experiences. The end result is one in which we have to constantly defend our positions regarding X,Y, or Z and our beliefs therefore reflect a fundamental limitation in our thinking.