We had a small surprise party for one of my roommates this past weekend, and we had a barbecue outside with burgers and hot dogs. The closest bathroom to the backyard is my bathroom. When you walk in my bathroom, you cannot help but notice a wall of papers taped to the wall next to the mirror.
As the party went on, I got a few questions about what all of them mean and why I hung them up there. In fairness, some of them are pretty vague. Others are seemingly silly, like the one I always get asked questions about: “in one year, you will be one year older,” which I explained in my last blog post. Perhaps because it’s written bigger, I often get asked about the one that just says “add value.”
What does value even mean? It’s amazing how often we use words every single day, yet sometimes it’s hard to really explain what they mean when isolated. Value defined by the dictionary is the importance, worth, or usefulness of something. If someone is important to you, they are valuable. If something is useful to you, it is valuable. In terms of business, someone providing a service is valuable. Likewise, if a product is useful, it is valuable. However, this begs the question: just how valuable is a service or product?
Personally, I hate the company Apple because I think its products are overpriced. You can do most of the same things with a Windows computer, Android based phone, and Android based tablet as you could with a MacBook, iPhone, and iPad. That being said, Apple is brilliant because it does what no other company can do: provides simplicity. This is why I try not to criticize people who get Apple products. To some, it is priceless to get all Apple products because you know that everything is going to sync and work seamlessly together.
Priceless is defined as “having a value beyond any price.” This is why Apple is so successful: simplicity is so valuable that price is a mere triviality when a customer considers buying Apple products.
If I had to accredit someone or something to “add value,” I would not be able to pinpoint it on any one person or company. It is a consistent theme I see across everyone and everything I consider successful.
My goal is to be adding priceless value to other people’s lives. This is why “add value” is taped to my bathroom wall.
To end on a light note, I love this video because we’ve all been here at some point, and it is sublime happiness.
