Monday, July 21, 2025

It’s a Natural Instinct to Want Something for Nothing

But we are better served when we strive to contribute more to every situation than we hope to take from it.

Have you ever won something big? I’m not talking about a free coffee from Tim’s Roll Up to Win or a free meal from McDonald’s Monopoly contest. I’m talking about winning something that really means something, like a free trip, a car, or a whole bunch of money.

Everyone loves getting something for nothing. I’d say it’s a basic human impulse, except I think it’s even more than that. Our dog, a forever-hungry golden retriever, absolutely loves getting something for nothing! So, I think it’s actually a natural instinct for all living creatures—we all want something for nothing.

You may have even noticed that sometimes CLAC exploits this instinct by offering prizes to members for filling out a survey or responding to a special request. That’s not exactly something for nothing, but it’s certainly an opportunity to win more than your required input.

This notion of getting more out of something than you put into it is an interesting concept to think about. In labour relations, we are constantly wrestling with how to determine the fair value of labour in each industry or region. Many different factors contribute to what makes a fair wage, and our ability to negotiate as much as possible for members is one of the most important services we offer to you.

But as good as we hope to be at the bargaining table, a universal and inescapable reality is that we cannot demand more from an employer than the collective labour of members gives back to the employer in corresponding value. The math simply wouldn’t work. It’s not a sustainable arrangement.

That said, it’s equally unsustainable for an employer to demand more from their employees than they’re willing to compensate them for. Striking this fine balance (no pun intended) is the great challenge that lies at the heart of good labour relations.

Based on my observation, I think there’s a tendency to overlook this essential calculation. It seems easy to fall into a trap of always trying to extract more from everything—and everyone—than we are prepared to contribute.

We want more out of our relationships than we’re prepared to invest into them. We want more from our government than we contribute in taxes. We want more from the store than we’re prepared to pay. And perhaps we want more from our employer than we’re prepared to work for.

I know it’s an idealistic proposition, but I believe Canada would be a more prosperous nation—and Canadians would be, on average, more fulfilled and satisfied with their lives—if we adopted an alternative philosophy in life. Let’s flip this natural instinct of pursuing something for nothing and instead strive to contribute more to every situation than we hope to take from it.

Such an approach to life would serve our country well, particularly at a time when Canada needs every bit of help it can find. It would improve our workplaces. It would strengthen our relationships and communities. And it would lead to more personal happiness and gratitude.

Give it a try and see what happens.

It’s a Natural Instinct to Want Something for Nothing

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