Where to Now?

There´s an old saying my grandmother used to tell me, "you get back from life what you put out." Using this reasoning, the more I give, the more I should receive. She went on to warn me that it didn´t quite work that way. If a person´s motivation for giving is driven by receiving, then giving was an act of selfishness.

On the other hand, if giving is naturally-driven from an inner motivation to help someone, then something usually happens in your favor that you could never have predicted. This is a very tricky rule of life because it´s hard to tell when we´re giving out of the kindness of our hearts or there is an underlying selfish motivation.

A good friend of mine was asked by a close friend for a loan of $5,000. My friend was experiencing tough times himself, but he did have the money. The money comprised most of his savings at the time. Without a second thought, something told him his friend needed the money. So he gave him the $5,000 with no memory of the transaction.

About six monthes later, his close friend returned the loan. He also connected my friend with a business opportunity that led to a $100,000 contract! My friend confided to me that whenever he gives a loan, he honestly never expects it to be repaid. He considers it to be a gift.

I think the most powerful gift is giving one´s self; in friendship, love, volunteerism, charity, family, support, teaching, coaching, etc. In these situations, giving and receiving occur simultaneously!

Be sure to listen to the Animal Kingdom Podcast and the free download of the book.