We signal that good can be achieved amongst human beings who are prepared to trust, prepared to believe in the goodness of people.
~Nelson Mandela
There are people who move among us, yet their motions differ significantly. For them, it seems as if everything comes off easy, seamless, without stress. While they get the admiration of a lot of people based on such ease, others give snide remarks behind their back. But a lot ignore that there is an invisible transaction system that runs quietly in every social gathering, workplace, playground, community.
The unspoken currency of favors and goodwill.
It’s not every passage in life that’s made by the feet. Some advance through favor. Favor and goodwill from people, known and unknown. Have you ever wondered why doors open for some people, even before they knock, and why some requests and pleas for favors are approved without question?
Two truths can coexist. While it is easy to measure a man’s achievement by the strength of his hands, for another, progress might simply stem from that favor that transcends beyond money, network, titles. There is what you can do; there is how the world perceives you. Human nature can be a bit complex sometimes — still, understanding the currency helps to navigate and pull through the thing called life.
As easy as it seems, goodwill and favors don’t just come like that—something is given, consciously or unconsciously. And this is why if you look at someone whom everyone looks forward to at a party; she just might be a great conversationalist.
If you’re observant, you’ll see that such a person who garners such currency is either devoted to service or is very much interested in adding value. Such a person follows protocol, but is emphatic towards his/her neighbor. There is loyalty, and there is good cheer.
The memories such people leave behind are memorable and good. And to these, there is the propensity of the recipients of such memories to do good to and for them. Unlike hierarchical powers, goodwill can’t be imposed — “if e dey, e dey. If e didn’t dey, e didn’t dey.”
Sometimes there is the assumption that such favors only apply to those high in rank. Yet, the biblical story of Ruth paints a very different picture. Ruth found favor with God by leaving her homeland to serve the God of Israel, and she found favor with people through her hard work, loyalty, and kind character. Her mother in-law loved her, Boaz sought her out and God was pleased with her.
They are everywhere, people with social capital. And they are loved, valued for who they are.
Because at its very essence goodwill is more like an echo than a transaction. It is oftentimes assumed favor is and can only be manufactured through a blueprint — it’s by your warmth and what you put out into rooms when you think nobody is measuring. The hushed moments: the extra effort when no one’s watching, the genuine check-ins, the patience to listen, and the principle to treat people well—be they rich or poor.
Even as we live in a world infatuated with dogged hustle and glaring metrics; never underestimate the quiet power of good character. Skills will get you into the room, and hard work will retain your space at the table. But when your stamina weakens—when the journey gets too steep and your industry falls short—it is the unspoken currency of favor and goodwill that will carry you through.
