What do you think the world is truly hungry for today? What is the one thing that is needed the most, but is also the most difficult to find? That would be generosity. A wise man (Simone de Beauvoir) once said, “That’s what I consider true generosity: You give your all and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing.” Compassion and generosity are almost extinct in the 21st century. Most people are too involved in their own dilemmas to be able to acknowledge the fact, that society needs compassion.
However, many successful people who have satisfied their primitive needs through a solid income, have become involved with poverty and non-profit organizations. In fact, according to a recent article from Forbes, 89 % of today’s entrepreneurs donate to charity, while 70 % also invest their own time into such organisations. Bill Gates and other wealthy men are famous for the foundations they create, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the money they donate. Is it a coincidence that Mr Gates is one of the wealthiest people on the planet, and based on his donations, one of the kindest? Perhaps not.
Generosity is expressed in regards to the less fortune, but it can also be practiced towards our colleges, loved ones and friends. Generosity is a state of mind that is not to be undermined. The most important upshot to being generous is obviously helping others. However, a direct link between generosity and success can be made. People who religiously practice generosity in their everyday life are bound to become successful.
Have a look at how generosity can help you become a successful individual:
1. Giving back makes you happy and healthy
According to Professor Adam Grant, the process of clumping together your kindness is extremely positive for your mental and physical state. In a section of his book, Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success, Grant describes a study in which several people performed five acts of kindness every week for a period of six weeks. In the study the people who performed their giving in one day felt a higher rush of endorphins, than those who dispersed their kindness throughout different days. Therefore, large amounts of generosity are important for your emotional state.
Not only does it make you happy, but generosity improves your health. The process of helping someone causes the release of endorphins in your body. These chemicals ward against stress and create a happy sensation. According to the Business Insider, a US study in 1998 suggests that people who volunteered for 100 hours in that year, had a higher chance of being alive in the year 2000, than Americans who did not volunteer.
2. Allows you to think differently about life
The mindset that comes with helping is completely different to that of people oblivious to this practice. It teaches you that the resources are not infinite. Therefore, you must practice rationing and being satisfied with having less. Furthermore, when you only look out for yourself, you assume that people are selfish and willing to go to any lengths to protect themselves- so you chose to do the same. This creates a negative mindset that promotes selfishness.
Meanwhile, people who give are usually more optimistic. This is due to the fact that they become aware of what society is capable of achieving when it joins. This in return, makes them more open-minded about the possibilities that lie ahead of them and the connections they could potentially form. In other words, when you have seen and done good, you believe you can receive the same from strangers.
3. Develops communication and trust
Being generous comes with the prerequisite that the resources you have contributed will be used wisely and appropriately. Therefore, generosity requires trust and communication between individuals. By communicating with organizations, as well as first hand people affected by poverty, you learn to trust them with your emotional and material aid.
In this way, a person becomes more open-minded to new individuals and ideas. This trust-related generosity can be transferred to the world of business, where often times mistrust prevents the execution of great projects. When trust is involved progress can be made. By having trust and communicating more efficiently, one can surely become more successful.
4. Develops leadership skills
Have you ever noticed how having a boss who is kind and giving to his colleagues is always appreciated and respected by the entire team? Generosity and team building are linked together in the both the business world and in real-life. When you practice generosity in the real world, you transfer this skill to your career. As a result your colleagues will invest loyalty and a healthy-work ethic in return for the positive attitude displayed by the you. This positive workflow cycle is the result of generosity. Furthermore, when a person in power promotes generosity, they become a role model for their peers and create positive behavior. Here are other ways to become a spiritually content person.
Another important aspect of being generous is the mindset that you develop towards new individuals. When you have seen how a helping hand can completely alter the lives of people in need, you believe that the same can be done with the colleagues who need a helping hand.
To put it simply: give to the world, give to your close ones and give to yourself. Generosity is the only true path to a happy and successful life. Have a look at this list of other problems you could be encountering on your way to success. Also, let me know in the comments if you have ever given back and how that made you feel!
Photo credit: Post Memes via flickr
