Let 'er Ripple

Kindness: the currency that multiplies when you spend it.

The term "externalities" often conjures images of smokestacks poisoning the air or rivers choked with waste—harmful side effects of industry that others pay for.

Economists call these negative externalities: costs imposed on society by choices that prioritize private gain over collective well-being.

But what if we flipped the script? What if our decisions could generate positive externalities—unseen ripples of goodwill, creativity, or generosity that uplift others, even when they don’t directly benefit us?

Some years ago, the author Ryan Holiday decided to use the money that he previously spent on ads to create videos and articles that people could enjoy for free, even if such a decision did not seem to have the same return on investment as advertising.

From a strict profit-and-loss perspective, this might seem foolish. But Holiday recognized something deeper: "This content will be around forever and have a bigger and more meaningful reach," he explains. "If people spend more time trying to maximize the positive externalities of what they did instead of optimizing for short-term profits, I think they'd be happier…and ultimately do better."

This insight echoes St. John of the Cross's saying, "Where there is no love, put love, and you will find love."

When we intentionally create positive externalities and "put love" into the world through our choices, we often discover that goodness multiplies in unexpected ways.

Our daily decisions have ripple effects. Whether we're business leaders, parents, teachers, or community members, we can ask ourselves: How might my choices create unexpected blessings for others? What positive externalities could I cultivate today?