How Full Is Your Bucket?

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Here’s another installment of Money Quotes from Business Books. … this time I’m posting takeaways from HOW FULL IS YOUR BUCKET (Rath & Clifton, 2004). Enjoy!

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The CRUX:
“Each of us has an invisible bucket. It is constantly emptied or filled, depending on what others say or do to us. When our bucket is full, we fill great. When it’s empty, we feel awful.”

The authors go on to say that everyone also has a dipper and we use that dipper to either add to our bucket or empty our bucket. We add to our bucket whenever we say stuff or do stuff that impacts someone else’s feelings positively. Conversely, we empty our bucket whenever we say or do something that decreases a person’s positive feelings.

So to maximize our relationships and to get the most out of life, we should get in the habit of filling other people's buckets because in turn, we'll also be filling our bucket.

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The QUOTES:

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Comments

[DUST!N]

There's a marriage book out there called The Five Love Languages. It has a similar framing as How Full is Your Bucket.

Basically, we all feel loved through 5 "languages":
• Words of affirmation (tell your wife how great she looks in that new dress)
• Physical touch (sometimes as simple as holding hands)
• Receiving gifts (buy 'em or make 'em)
• Acts of service (sweeping the floor can say "I love you")
• Quality time (be with the one you love)

We likely feel loved through a combination of some of these languages... but each of us has a primary language that best speaks love to us.

If we don't receive enough expressions of love in our personal love language, then our "love tank" (as opposed to a bucket) begins to empty.

My brother-in-law has a good mind for HR issues. He and I have many times discussed the relevance of this principle in the workplace.

By the way, my love language is words of affirmation so please tell me how much you loved this comment.

[Lewis Green]

John,

Thank you for sharing this book. I couldn't agree more. Instead of a bucket, I describe it as The Happiness Quotient. But however we say it, the results are the same. A business and life that reaps rewards.

[Matt Steele in the Hour of Chaos]

I understand the principle, but isn't the danger here the thought that our happiness, fulfillment or satisfaction is based on how others treat us?

I am not familiar with "Bucket", but I am familiar with "Love Languages". I am not thrilled with the principle that I give to you so that you will give to me. It seems self-centered to me.