My friend, Bob Burg, along with John David Mann, has written a wonderful little book called “The Go- Giver.” I believe its message is especially appropriate for this time of the pandemic. They tell a parable of an ambitious young man named Joe who is a”go-getter,” yearning for success, never satisfied, and always trying to get and be more. Through a series of events, he meets some special people, real life “go-givers,” who help him to transform his life and teach him the power of giving through the Five Laws of Success. (If you are a person of Faith, these can all relate at an even deeper level to Scriptural principles):
- VALUE – Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment. Acts 20:35
- COMPENSATION – Income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them. Luke 6:38
- INFLUENCE – Your influence is determined by how abundantly you put other’s interests first. Philippians 2:3-4
- AUTHENTICITY – The most valuable gift you have to offer is YOURSELF. Jeremiah 1:5
- RECEPTIVITY – The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving. John 16:24
When you change your focus from getting to giving – putting other’s interests first and continually adding value to their lives, amazing things can happen! The story beautifully illustrates the proverb, “Give and you shall receive.” In these days when the world is engulfed in turmoil, fear, anger and stress, and many people are deeply worried about their financial needs, it is even more important for us to adopt this lesson of becoming “go-givers” – of our time, our talents, whatever resources we have available, and especially our hearts. Then we will reap far more than we sow.
To order this book, go to www.thegogiver.com and to learn more about Barbara’s work, go to www.barbaraglanz.com.
