There’s a quote often attributed to Jack Lemmon that says: “No matter how far you go in life, you must always send the elevator back down.”
That idea has stuck with me for as long as I can remember. I’ve been fortunate to have people in my life who took an interest in me without any immediate personal gain. Some did it out of kindness. Others saw potential. But all of them made a decision to invest in me, to open a door, to share wisdom, and to lift me up a floor or two.
And because of them, I made myself a promise: When it’s my turn, I’ll send the elevator back down regularly (and I have)!
The Law of Reciprocity
Zig Ziglar used to say: “You Can Have Everything In Life You Want, If You Will Just Help Enough Other People Get What They Want.” That philosophy has been foundational for me. I’ve built my approach on a simple principle: offer value before asking for it. Err on the side of generosity. The world isn’t zero-sum. It’s positive-sum. Helping someone else win doesn’t take anything away from you; it increases the size of the pie for all of us.
I’ve tried to live that out both online and offline. Through my blog, I’ve shared my financial journey with radical transparency – not to impress, but to impart and show what’s possible when you think differently, stay consistent, and compound in every area of life.
In the real world, I’ve made it a personal mission to be a conduit of opportunity—whether it’s hopping on a call with an aspiring entrepreneur, offering coaching on a career move, or just being the kind of person I wish I had had in my corner when I was first starting out.
Your Circle of Five
Jim Rohn famously said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” That insight is both a gift and a responsibility. As you level up, your circle changes, but it’s vital that you don’t just look up and around. You also have to look back and down to see who’s trying to climb, who needs a hand, and who just needs someone to believe in them (be someone’s FIRST BELIEVER).
The older I get, the more I realize that true wealth – true success – isn’t just about what you accumulate. It’s about what you amplify. It’s not how many floors you’ve reached; it’s how many you’ve brought with you.
Every Day Is an Opportunity
One of my closest friends, Paul, has a mantra I love: “Every day is an opportunity to change someone’s life forever – and today is [your] day.” That’s not just good advice. That’s a calling.
If you’re reading this and you’ve been fortunate in your own journey, I challenge you to send the elevator back down. Invest your time in someone who reminds you of a younger version of yourself. Give without expectation. Share your playbook. Don’t hoard opportunity – hand it out.
And if you’re someone waiting for that elevator, keep going. Someone’s on their way down to get you. And when it’s your turn?
Send. It. Back. Down.
– Gen Y Finance Guy
