The Cost (and Rewards) of Generosity

Serving others is costly.

A life of service forces you to pay the price of abandoning your scarcity mindset and all the sympathy that comes with it. When you walk around with an “it’s just little ole me” attitude or when you carry yourself as someone who doesn’t have enough to share, no one expects anything of you and they extend pity in your direction.

When you decide to step up and share your gifts with others, however, it gives you the appearance of abundance. When you behave generously, people see you as someone who actually has something to give. It can be really hard to give up comments like “Wow, you really have it rough” in exchange for comments like “Wow, you really have a lot going for you.”

This might sound like the beginnings of an argument for not being generous. It’s not. Because the best part about being generous is how it changes the way you see yourself.

Once you get into the rhythm and groove of looking for opportunities to create value, you start to realize that you always have more to give than what meets the eye. By acting generously, you begin to experience life in a more generous way. It produces a fundamental shift in your mindset that leads to greater opportunities.

If you truly want to experience the universe as a place brimming with possibilities, go solve some problems for people.

Even if you see yourself as the one who has the most problems, the best way out is to push yourself to help someone else with their problems. Instead of competing for the title of “who has a more difficult life”, strive for the greater prize of making life a little less difficult for someone else.

It’s not easy, but it’s the best way to make life easier.

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TK Coleman is the Education Director for Praxis. He has coached dozens of young people and top performers from all stages of life. He’s the author of hundreds of articles and is a frequent speaker on education, entrepreneurship, freedom, personal growth, and creativity. TK is a relentless learner, has been involved in numerous startups, and has professional experience ranging from the entertainment to financial services industries and academia. Above all else, TK is on a mission to help people embrace their own power and expand their own possibilities.