The Personal and Financial Benefits of Being a Giver
Overall, generosity and the urge to share are positive traits. But it can be difficult to balance our desire to spread prosperity with our goal to save money and achieve our own financial plans. Furthermore, a common perception is that people who are givers are less financially successful than those who practice more “selfish” behaviors. But a new study of over 60,000 people in the US and Europe suggests otherwise.
Researchers discovered that people who are more generous and “pro-social” make more money than people who live solely for themselves. In some cases, the most prosocial people even had the highest incomes! In other words, the secret to success isn’t isolating ourselves in our personal pursuit of security and happiness: it’s finding a balance.
Curious how a generous attitude translates into professional, personal, and financial success? Consider how these three tips can apply to you:
The Value of Mentorship: Chances are, at least one person has given you advice and professional guidance in your life. A mentor may even have introduced you to other success-minded individuals you could learn from. Mentorship is a highly valuable form of service that you can not only benefit from receiving, but you can also benefit from providing others. Even if you think that you do not have insight to share with others, most likely you do! For example, consider what you have learned from your personal and professional experiences. When we help others succeed, the world sees our receptiveness and willingness to collaborate. And when we make meaningful connections, our willingness to share our time and knowledge will translate into better support and growth throughout our lives.
Find Balance: Generally, a lifestyle of pure generosity, just as a lifestyle of pure selfishness, does not necessarily translate into success. While one pool of people in the study showed to be both the highest income earners and the most “pro-social” people tested, it may take most of us time to balance our desire to give our time and money with our need to budget and save. It is important to stay on-track with our savings goals. There will be moments too, however, when putting time or money into someone else can benefit both of you over the long term. If you find yourself wishing you could be more generous with your income, look at both paying down your debts and finding additional sources of income to increase security, as well as your giving power. As the next tip will discuss, thankfully, there are almost countless ways we can still be a giving person while also focusing on our financial growth.
What Kind of Giving Is Right for You?: Giving isn’t just about money. Explore what you have to offer others, and what ways you can be a positive, generous force in people’s lives. Can you lend your time and advice to someone’s project? Can you find a way to help a peer or loved one relax and re-build steam? Mentorship is just one example of giving. We can also give time, ideas, or support, without asking for anything in return. By doing so, we will find that opportunities for us to expand our world, socially and financially, will be waiting happily outside our door, like a friendly and thankful neighbor!
Want to learn more ways to balance generosity with successful habits? Visit the Syncis blog at www.syncis.com/blog.
