Giver or taker?

Kids’ birthdays, gifts and fulfillment at work and in life.

Have you ever been to a birthday party for a kid, recently?
PILES of gifts. The girl (or boy) opens them, hardly paying attention.

I used to think we were spoiling the kid, that she took everything for granted and nothing could surprise her anymore.

I felt sad for her.

But then I started paying attention.

And I realized her mild excitement for the presents was because she was eager to go back to the party, the real fun, where she could share the moment with her friends and just vibe or do crazy stunts.

We weren’t spoiling the kid, we were spoiling happiness.

As parents and friends we projected onto the kid our logic of “you’re happy if you get”. Double gift, bummer!

All the while she had it all figured out: happiness came from sharing, giving, making sure everybody was having a good time. And it all came back to her, and there she was having a blast!

At work or in your life, are you motivated by what you can get from someone or something, or by what and how much you can give?

If you expect something in return, you’ll lose motivation the second you get it. You’ll start looking for some other thing to want, in a never-ending treadmill.

But when your goal is just to give, you’ll keep growing your happiness. It’s a continuous, never ending process. You’ll never lose motivation.

I’m often that child, bummed at my presents and oblivious to the reality of why it’s happening. I want to change that.

And as counterintuitive as it might appear, I’m convinced that generosity, honesty, and generally a good intent are going to eventually pay off in business too, not just in personal life. Every sale is about trust, and I don’t know a better way to build it!

Are you a giver or a taker?