What comes to your mind when you hear the word, “generosity”? Giving money to a person in need? Maybe a donation to a ministry or a nonprofit? Giving a hungry person some food?
Is there more to generosity than pity, than seeing someone as worse than ourselves?
Does it have to start with me having more than someone else?
I’ve enjoyed a number of successes in my early career. If someone asked me which single, most important character quality led to these successes, I would say “generosity.” Many people obsess over impressing the people around them, adding to their credentials, making above average pay, and making the “right” friends. All too often the mentality is, “what’s in it for me?”
My aspiration is to approach every encounter asking the question, “what does this person really need?”
Every big success in my life started by asking this question and ended with me figuring out how to meet that need. I wasn’t strategizing, I was trying to be generous. I had no idea what good could come of it for myself, but that wasn’t my intention. Somehow, good always did come of it.
If you’d like to join a community of people who aspire to meet needs, you should join the Intentional Academy. We’re talking about getting control of your time, your money, and your career so that you can live an abundant and generous life. It’s free to join, just fill out the form at the top of this page.
