Favor How to get ahead in life, according to Benjamin Franklin

Favor How to get ahead in life, according to Benjamin FranklinFavor How to get ahead in life, according to Benjamin FranklinBen Franklin learned that when he asked others for a small favor, it caused them to like him mora.This is genius because it leverages several things all together at once. Because its a small ask, it would be impolite for the target to refuse.Think something simple. Consequently they accept, because refusing would be impolite. This then kicks in some powerfulpsychology- Robert Cialdinis principles of influence. The commitment and consistency principle causes cognitive dissonance.Their brain thinks, Why did I do this? I mustve done it because I like them. Also, as Cialdini notes, because theyve complied with a small request, theyre morelikely to agree to a larger ask later.Quite simply, this life hack is brilliant because its not just for others, its also for you.Heres how you can leverage it in your life.Small steps become big stepsUse this principle on yourself. If you want to get yourself to do something big and challenging, start with the smallest comfortable step to make it happen, and the snowball will build.If you want to lose 100 pounds,and you identify that itll take both dietary and exercise changes, do this remove oneeasy thing from your diet and add onebit of easy exercise you can do daily. So, no pop or soda, and a 20 minute walk every day.Youll be surprised how doing these simple things- and doing them consistently- will move your disposition toward making bigger changes in diet and exercise much easier.Investing in yourself = loving yourselfUnhappy with yourself? The Franklin shows how you can get to love yourself. The reason people who do favors for you begin to like you is because theyve invested in you. Their brain makes them defend their investment with good feelings.Use this trick on yourself- do something for you. Do a favor for yourself work hard and then go on a vacation. Workout and then go out in public in a bathing suit. Learn an utensil and make a YouTube video, or have friends over and play. The more you invest in yourself, by doing favors for yourself, the more you love yourself.Invest in others to get along with themIf you have someone in your life you have to work or live with but cant stand, The Franklin offersthe solution do something valuable and useful for them. If you get along decently well but cant stand their company, try to identify something you could do that might help them out and ask them if you could do it for them.Most likely, theyll either accept or politely protest (a defense to prevent the law of reciprocity from kicking in, look it up). Dont accept it if its just polite social protestation. Do the favor and two things will happen 1. Youll begin to like them more, and 2. Theyll reply in kind when you ask them for something.In fact, have something ready to ask them for- not immediately, but soon after you do them a favor. Youll find that the two of you will get along bett er.The Franklin is a very, very productive life hack both for yourself and for others.This article originally appeared on Quora.