I’m not about to share anything revolutionary. For some, it will be a foregone conclusion.
And yet, there is no easy way to communicate the depths to which I’ve gone to circle back to a truth that turned out to be true all along. From the Bible to entrepreneurial books, filtering this principle to its essence has taken me decades of reading, thought, reflection, and most importantly, action.
That principle is this – giving is a wealth attraction principle. It’s virtually a law.
If you give, you will see more money flow in. It happens because it must happen.
The part that is perhaps superfluous in all of it is motive. Religion would have us examine our heart. Look closely at what our intentions are. Why are we giving? If we don’t get this part right, then giving is in vain. God (or Santa Claus or really our parents) won’t reward us if we aren’t good little girls and good little boys.
The problem with this way of thinking is that it has your heart as wrong before you’ve even had the opportunity to explore it. Just by existing you are bad, and wrong, and your heart is certainly not in the right place if you want to give to get. Which is ridiculous. Of course, you want to get. It’s human nature.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t examine your motives. All things being equal, being a good person might help you attract more wealth. All things being equal, having good motives might help you attract more wealth.
But money will move for its own reasons, regardless of motive. And if you get stuck on the motive part, you get to swim with an ocean of shame and guilt that will appear a limitless expanse. Money does not move because of motive.
It’s a challenging thought, and I don’t expect anyone to accept it sight unseen. But fundamentally, motive is hidden from everything (including money) and everyone. It’s individual. It’s private. You can’t know anyone else’s motive. Ever.
You can ask people what their motives are, but it doesn’t mean it will be the truth. Actions say more about a person than their words ever will. Watch their actions and you’ll never be confused.
I can set a glass down angrily. I can set a glass down lovingly. The result will be the same – I will have set the glass down. The motive itself makes no difference. I accomplished the same thing.
A law is a law regardless of motive. Getting a law wrapped up in ethics and morality is a mistake. It takes away from the purity of the law. It’s attempting to quantify something with no measurable quantity.
If a coffee costs $4, and I hand the barista $4 for the coffee, it doesn’t matter whether I gave the money in gratitude or in contempt. Either way, the coffee is now mine. I’ve paid for it. Intention, at least in this context, doesn’t change a thing. The weird part is we think it does.
