If Satisfying Your Desires Is Your Goal, Being Indispensable Is Your Mission
How it catapulted Ben Franklin’s career
In 1727, a young Benjamin Franklin worked for Samuel Keimer, a struggling printer who had won a contract to print money for the state of New Jersey.
After a quarrel, Franklin quit, putting Keimer in a bind. Only Franklin possessed the unique skills to pull off the job, making him indispensable to the business's success. Keimer realized this and rehired Franklin.
Franklin’s reputation soared, and his success led to the eventual taking over the Pennsylvania Gazette as well as introductions to the powerful people of Philadelphia who would soon shape his political and financial fortunes.
Had Franklin merely helped Keimer or made himself useful around the printing floor, he might never have become a famous historical figure. He was indispensable, and people took notice. His story offers us a vital lesson.
To be helpful is admirable.
To be useful is respectable.
To be indispensable is powerful.
Franklin’s story connected with me when I analyzed the results of a copywriting project I worked on from 2012 to 2018, compiling a list of universal human desires. I reasoned that If I…
