My mind simply can't grasp the opportunities I have on a daily basis. I'm very blessed and fortunate to engage daily with some of the brightest minds and the most goal oriented men on the planet. Helping men discover their passions and purpose is an amazing journey.
I have been around men that make tens of millions of dollars a year, as well as men that are squeaking in around the poverty level. One very interesting parallel among these men is what they do with the money once they have it.
At the very beginning of the coaching exercise I spend a couple weeks trying to understand the process each man goes through mentally to make decisions which includes his giving practices.
I do this with the aid of a series of documents that I have created. One is a "Personal Assessment" where we understand more about your personal values and ideals. The second document is an evaluation of "What Do I Want" out of a fulfilled life? On this questionnaire about halfway through, is this question.
Why do you want to make more money?
The obvious answers surface rather quickly to no one's surprise, to eliminate debt and to save for the future. The one overarching answer outside the obvious is "to give more away". I find this to be a very interesting answer and somewhat questionable. When I probe a little deeper, asking pointed questions about their personal giving habits, I find there is inconsistencies in their verbal communication and the reality of the implementation.
The real truth, most men are only paying lip service to this spoken desire. When you look at their present giving, you quickly see that only a fraction, if any, of their income is going outside their personal household. I'm not referring to those who make just enough to meet their present needs, I'm referring to those that have excess and often an abundance of discretionary income.
After discussing this topic with countless others, I'm realizing that our talk rarely reflects our walk.
Could it be that the socially expected answer to the question is that we give more away? When you honestly ask the question of why do I want to make more money, is your genuine, heartfelt answer so that you can help others?
Is it possible that we have convinced yourself that this answer simply mask the underlying truth that we just desire bigger, better, and more? Could we be afraid to just admit we're an over indulgent people? I'm not implying that there is one thing wrong with achieving your goals, providing well for your family and even having excess. I just want you to be honest with the question.
I contend that if you are not giving a percentage of your income now to the various charitable organizations or the needy among us, chances are you wouldn't if you had more.
Do you understand that making more money doesn't change your heart, it just reveals more of the same.
Being generous is a choice we make in whatever circumstances we find ourself.
It's just like happiness, it's a choice not a trait. I would ask that you consider charitable giving right now in whatever your current situation you are in, right this very moment.
Luke 16:10 says: "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much."
Please, let your walk match your talk.
Please go to my website viewfromthetop.com and download the Personal Assessment and What Do I Want document for "Free". This is my gift to you.
Live on purpose,
Aaron
