When you do someone a favor that you expect to be paid back,
Be sure to make your intentions known.
Especially if there is a chance that the other person is not aware that this is “that kind of favor”.
Generosity is not the same as doing a favor that you expect to be paid back
It’s about giving freely with as few strings attached as possible.
Because there is a kind of giving that is more a form of insurance,
That’s about covering your own bases
And not just about helping someone else out.
In many ways we do live in a world where we scratch each other’s backs
But when it’s hidden and not agreed upon by both parties
It becomes a form of manipulation,
Keeping others in our debt
So that when the day comes that they are strong enough to stand on their own two feet – we can lay a claim to their success.
In business, this may “make sense”
But in personal relationships it makes you a manipulative jerk who people regret ever asking from.
It’s one thing to support someone who needs help
Quite another to hold them ransom for it.