Giving Before You Get

Sorry for the slow updates - I've been busting my butt trying to make some things happen. Remember, this site is about a guy making the move from employee to self-employed, not about a guy who already did. There are tons of things I want to cover, but something that was a sticking point for me to understand (and something I'm still understanding,) is the concept of giving before you get. In theory it sounds great. In practice, it can be a little more difficult to begin.

We often taught by the world to "get yours" and that you can only count on yourself. Trusting other people, or being generous in a forthright manner are very strange concepts to many people. Maybe that's why so much of the world is screwed up! How can people come together to accomplish anything when the subset thought process is, "well regardless of what happens here, I'm going to get mine." I'm sorry, but I'm not finding success happening in any way where I try and get mine before giving, or more correctly put, serving someone else.

Attempting to get without giving is like saying, "as soon as this fireplace provides me with heat, I'll throw some logs in." Or, "As soon as this business venture starts producing, I'll really invest in it. " The concept of making sure you're taken care of sounds almost right when you think it to yourself, but put into that context, it all of a sudden doesn't make sense. Considering that innate laws tend to be true in all things, I'm working harder to give first in every area of my life.

I used to be somewhat of a menacing driver. I grew up driving in the big city and could ride a closing lane to the very last moment, cut you off, flip the bird while still singing to whatever useless song was playing in my car, and then not let anyone else in. Since trying to give first, I've definitely been more relenting in letting people get in front of me, but you know what? My ingress into merging traffic seems to be a lot less stressful and a lot simpler as well.

You can call it sowing and reaping; you can call it positive energy flow; you can call it creating good karma - it's all the same thing. It's attempting to serve or give first, not with the selfish thought that you will then be owed a favor, but with the selfless belief that maybe someone will be eager to serve you. I have worked on being willing to give time I don't think I have to help out new guys I'm working with. I have worked on continuing to invest in my business, even when the return wasn't quite there, as well as investing in the people I'm trying to help, even though many of them have disappeared.

Whether it's tithing at your church or just being willing to hold the door open for people, giving before you get is a sure-fire way to get the prosperity you seek.