The Power of Giving

I heard a quote a while back that really caused me to think deeply about the power of giving: "Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like no one's watching." To give is to live without doubt or reservations. To give is to live without consideration of what you might get back: to work without regard for compensation, to love without regard for being loved, to dance without regard for whether or not people will join in and dance with you. Giving is risky. There's no doubt about it. Only the most courageous are daring enough to live a life of giving. But where there is great risk, there is great return. A life of giving is the most influential life a person can live.The power of giving lies in the law of reciprocity. When you give, people are naturally inclined to give back. No one wants to feel like they owe you. They will want to compensate you; they will want to love you; they will want to dance your dance. Giving is taking the first step that no one wants to take. Being the leader, setting the example, will inspire others to follow you. Giving is inspiring. When you are willing to take the risk of giving, people will respond. When you give, others will join in the giving. Taking, on the other hand, is not inspiring. It makes people want to avoid working with you. It inspires others to want to take as well. There is nothing more destructive in a relationship than the prevalence of self-interest. If you want to push people away, show them you are only in it for yourself. If you want to attract people, show them that you are in it for them. Giving trumpts taking any day of the week.

Giving is not a strategy, though. It is a way of life. You can't give with the intention of getting back; that is manipulation. And people usually know when they are being manipulated. No, giving must be done in an authentic manner. You must give, because you want to positively influence other people. You must live as if you really aren't in it for yourself. You must live as if you authentically care about the lives of others. Your gifts cannot have strings attached. When they do, they aren't really gifts. To give is to remove your own interests from the equation. Make no mistake: when you give, others will respond. But you cannot give with the intention of getting what you want. Effective giving is always about the other person.

If, at the end of my life, the sum of what I've taken exceeds the sum of what I've given, then I have lived in vain. As Jesus has said, "It is more blessed to give than it is to receive." A fulfilling life is not about what you take with you but rather what you leave behind. What contribution will you make to humanity? What will you create that changes the world? What will you sell that makes a positive difference in the life of your customer? How will the people in your life be better off having known you? These are the important questions. "What's in it for me?" is an empty posture. "What value do I add?" Now, that's a fulfilling posture. That is powerful.