Success is for Givers

One of the most counter-intuitive keys to success is that giving something to others helps us get something that we want in return.  It’s not a direct return, mind you.  It can come from other sources, in unforeseen ways, but it amazingly returns nonetheless.  Dr. Ivan Misner, founder of BNI sums it up in two words, “Giver’s Gain”.  Moreover, way back in 1937, the grandfather of all business success writers, Napoleon Hill, suggested that we should be “Go-Givers”, not “Go-Getters”.

I’ll confess that I often feel I don’t give enough.  I’m amazed by those who have the ability to contribute their time and money to the good causes in our society in significantly more meaningful ways than I do.  And I’ll bet that if you’re a small business owner, you probably feel the same.  After all, so much of your time is taken up with the work of keeping your business afloat so that it serves your customers and employees, and ultimately yourself in the form of income and equity.  For many small business owners, the income and equity they gain from the business doesn’t feel sufficient to be able to give much of it away.  Does you share that feeling?  It’s a bit of a disappointment, isn’t it?

So then, how can we be Givers?  I think it can come in the form of the work we do, or more specifically, the work that our business does.  One of the aspects of our coaching work is helping business owners create strategic plans, and one important element of strategic planning is a discussion and definition of the Purpose of the business.  I’ve found that the best Purpose statements, the ones that really get at the higher value that the owner wants to achieve with the business, start with the simple words, “We help.…” 

“We help businesses achieve greater success.”  “We help people live healthier lives.”  We help people enjoy recreation.”  We help people build and furnish their homes.”  You get the picture.  Whatever the work of your business, it can often find its greater purpose in the way that the business helps others.  The help we provide is our avenue for giving.  In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that without a strong Purpose that defines the kind of help (giving) provided by the business, the lower the chances of success.  On the flip side, the more we live the Purpose of our businesses, the more we give, and thus the more we stand to get, be it in terms of the success of our business, or otherwise.

If you are looking to gain more from your life and your business, think about what you are giving.  Are you focused on the greater Purpose of your business in helping others, or are you fixated solely on the making money?  The counter-intuitive part of being a “Go-Giver” is that the “making money” purpose doesn’t usually work out so well, but the “helping others” purpose leads to achieving the greater success that you are seeking.