ThinkBIG, the magazine had an interesting article written by Joe Vitale a few years ago. I thought I'd write about it because, in some wacky ways, what he wrote is rather true. Don't get me wrong, I actually don't find money something that must be hoarded and wrapped in tissue paper. I think that we should be responsible for our future.
I have a little fear. I fear that if something happens to me and I can't support myself, I fear being a burden to others. I fear being homeless. I fear being hungry and being unloved. Perhaps those are common fears? But to prevent those options from arising, I live my life to a certain extent to ensure that if something happens to me, I won't become anyone's burden.
So, back to Joe and his interesting approach to money thoughts (this, being a money/financial blog), he wrote:
"What is the greatest moneymaking secret in history? What is the one thing that works for everyone? Give money away. That's right. Give it away. Give it to people who help you say in touch with your inner world. Give it to people who inspire you, serve you, heal and love you. Give it to people without expecting them to return it - but give it knowing it will come back to you multiplied from some source."It's fascinating that John D. Rockefeller was quoted in 1924 saying, "...in the beginning of getting money, way back in my childhood, I began giving it away, and continued increasing the gifts as the income increased..."
Give freely. Giving may lead to receiving. Giving may lead to more wealth. Who knows until you try it?! Another interesting tidbit involved the quantity of your gifting:
"If there's one thing I think people do wrong when they practice giving, is that they give too little. They hold onto their money and let it trickle when it comes to giving. And that's why they aren't receiving. You have to give, and give a lot, to be in the flow of life to receive...When Joe gave miserly, he reflects that he also got little in return. Which is why he decided to test the theory of giving. In many ways, he really is right. When you give generously, you feel good and you also make someone else feel good.
I love inspiring stories. I read them, listen to them, share them, and tell them. I decided to thank Mike Dooley of tut.com for the inspiring messages he shares with me and others everyday by email. I decided to give him some money.
In the past I would have given him maybe five dollars. But that's when I came from scarcity and feared the giving principle wouldn't work. This time would be different. I took out my chequebook and wrote a check for US$1,000.
Mike was stunned. He got my check in the mail and nearly drove off the road as he headed home. He couldn't believe it.... And then something wonderful began to happen. I suddenly got a call from a person who wanted me to co-author his book, a job that ended up paying me many times over what I had given away...
Give time and you'll get time.
Give products and you'll get products.
Give love and you'll get love.
Give money and you'll get money.
Think of the person or persons who have inspried you over the last week. Who made you feel good about yourself, you life, your dreams, or your goals? Give that person some money. Give them something from your heart. Don't be stingy... Give without expecting return from that person, but do expect return."
In terms of giving products, that's probably how bartering came into existence. Someone had too much of some fruit or vegetable, decided to share it with their neighbours, next thing they know, the neighbours decided to share their excess produce too. Next thing you know, the entire village is involved. And everyone benefits.
Random(and not so random) Acts of Kindness
Some friends and relatives give a lot of themselves. Their time, their care and their love. Because of that, it makes me very appreciative and similarly want to give my time, care and love in return. If it works in that way, then why can't it work in the financial sense too? Sounds interesting in a convoluted way.
Not everyone has money to give away of course. So if you don't have money to give away, give away your time or your love and affection. Tell them how much you care and appreciate them. It's like the RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) concept. The www.actsofkindness.org has some really great ideas about things you can do that make others happy, which in turn, can make you happy too.
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