THE GIFT OF GIVING IS MORE THAN THE GIFT!
Giving is not just a one-way transaction! The recipient of a gift can only benefit if the gift is mindfully given. But the recipient is not the only one that benefits in this process. A greater reward can be conferred on the giver and sometimes to others as well! How can this be so?
In the previous chapter we discussed how giving to others promotes a feeling of sustained happiness. A similar but even greater benefit comes from the giving of our own personal ability and talent. So, giving our unique gift further heightens our personal fulfillment and joy. This positive effect is much stronger than in giving a generic gift, such as money donation.
…What personal abilities and talents can you share with others?
THE RIGHT MOTIVATION ENHANCES THE BENEFITS.
The giving of our ability and talent is far more valuable than the gift itself. We might call this form of giving ‘our service’. Being of service to others in this way, is this book’s final strategy for consolidating success.
The more we are of service to others, the more we fill that ‘empty feeling’ within. Only certain kinds of ‘wealth’ can be added to this empty ‘inner vault’. This includes permanent happiness, joy, inner peace and fulfillment. This inner reserve is not subject to rapid degradation or devaluation. The benefits of giving have permanent value or sustained high worth. It does not easily diminish.
But the giving and service must be done with the correct motivation. If it’s motivated by ego, then it does not have a lasting effect.
GIVING OUR TALENT BUILDS INNER WEALTH.
By offering our special ability or talents in service to others, we rapidly accumulate more inner wealth. This deposited wealth or ‘bullion’ is of a particularly high value. An analogy for this is holding precious metals like platinum, gold or silver. Serious investors hold gold and precious metals to help ensure their financial security. Similarly, our inner store of permanent wealth aids our long-term inner security. This ‘currency’ is kept in a secure inner vault. So, it is not as prone to destruction, depreciation or theft.
…Can you see how giving your talent further builds your inner wealth?
What is the ‘gold standard’ for permanent personal wellbeing? The gold standard is our permanent happiness and joy, plus our fulfillment and inner peace. Fulfillment and inner peace are like gold and platinum because they offer long term security. Only this class of assets offers true long term personal security.
SERVICE ADDS TO OUR LASTING HAPPINESS & JOY.
Any type of giving creates lasting happiness and joy. Giving our unique talents in service to others also creates fulfilment and bliss. Sharing our talents is like adding precious metals and rare collectables to our deep inner vault! It is thus a great life strategy!
Unlike financial investments, we can build this inner wealth naturally. Sharing your talents does not cost anyone anything! The gifting of our highest talents and abilities generates the highest levels of permanent wealth.
…Are you motivated to build your inner wealth?
IN BUSINESS, GENEROSITY CAN YIELD DIVIDENDS.
We might think that tithing large amounts would deplete our capital. We might also think that freely offering our time and abilities would further diminish our earning capacity! In the conventional business sense, this would normally be the case.
But even in business there are exceptions if the giving is done with sufficient wisdom. In a business setting, bequeathing a scholarship or sponsorship may reward a company many times over. There is positive publicity, goodwill and an enhanced image. A corporation may then be viewed as more sensitive, responsible or caring. It can be seen as a fair way of returning company profits back into the community.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS CAN HELP EVERYONE.
Awarding money for research and development may also pay huge dividends. The company may then bask in the glow of the achievement which it sponsored. Such generosity from a business perspective can manifest both tangible and intangible benefits. So, supporting others, even from a business perspective, can have remarkable positive long-term outcomes.
The benefits of generosity also apply from an ecological perspective. Contributing to an environmental project may even help our planetary survival. It may aid individuals, the company and the world as a whole. Other less eco-friendly ventures might be forced to close or are viewed as harmful.
GIVING DOES NOT DIMINISH INNER WEALTH.
This reciprocal benefit applies even more so to the ‘inner corporation’ of our personal mind. The gift of personal service does not deplete our working capital or our energy. Sharing our talent with others does not subtract from our personal balance of inner wealth.
This is because the giving of our talent brings us lasting happiness and joy. Any effort invested is repaid to us many times over. Giving our talent gives us back renewed energy and purpose.
…Can you now see how giving your talents builds inner wellbeing?
Remember, offering our talent adds inner peace and deep fulfillment to our inner vault. This is the greatest wealth we can have. It is stored in the deepest realms of our mind. This can only be built through gratitude, giving and service to others.
SELFLESS SERVICE ATTRACTS OPPORTUNITIES.
This inner personal wealth can also increase in value. In financial terms it provides collateral or can generate interest. It also attracts further investment opportunities! Our inner wealth gives us the capital we need to start positive projects. It all builds on itself. In this way, more success can be achieved with a minimum of effort.
When we build our inner personal wealth, further opportunities are effortlessly attracted to us. In personal transformation, this occurs through the spiritual law of universal attraction. Exciting new prospects are attracted to us by our service to others. This is especially so when we freely and joyfully give our talent and ability.
…Can you see how service becomes self-sustainable?
GIVING INCREASES OUR CAPACITY TO GIVE!
The more we give, the more we prosper. We attract more opportunities and continue to thrive. So, we are then able to give even more! This ‘giving cycle’ is self-sustaining and self-enhancing.
Consider this analogy. Giving and service become like a permanent mountain spring. The water we give to others eventually evaporates into clouds and falls again as rain. The water eventually recycles back to us. This completes the cycle.
More rain can benefit the local ecosystem. Increased rainfall means more luxuriant growth and more forest. This local microclimate then retains more moisture and triggers more rainfall. The cycle of more growth and prosperity can then continue.
WHAT IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SERVICE?
What is the highest expression of our gratitude and giving? What is the highest level of service that is possible from a high level of consciousness? We might commit to dedicating ourselves to the benefit of all humanity. We could even extend our intention to benefit ‘all that is’. This means we bequeath all that we are and all we’ll ever be, to the greater good.
…Does helping all of humanity motivate and excite you?
OFFER YOUR POSITIVE POTENTIAL TO THE WHOLE!
We could dedicate ourselves to benefit all humanity or all that exists. At a higher spiritual level, this is experienced as merging with ‘oneness’. There is only one common existence at that highest spiritual level. There we are all ‘one’! We could freely surrender and dedicate our entire existence and potential to the whole. There is a great benefit if this is done with appropriate motivation, wisdom, compassion & unconditional love. This benefit is then conveyed to all humanity, all existence and all consciousness.
We might not yet be ready to surrender ourselves to the service of all others or to the oneness of existence! But we can start by dedicating just a part of our mindset and our success to this mission. The mental ‘attitude of gratitude’ and being of service to others is how we start to do this. This is one of the most positive and beneficial states. It indicates that we are at a high state of consciousness and have a high level of devotion to our quest.
GRATITUDE & LOVE REWIRES OUR BRAIN.
Expressing our gratitude, compassion and unconditional love also sculpts our brain’s neural networks. This upgrades the hardware in the organic supercomputer of our brain. The operating system can then work at an even higher level! The whole system then functions optimally for success. New neuronal pathways are laid down that will support future projects.
…Are you eager to rewire your brain for more success and happiness?
IS APPLYING ALL THIS YOUR ULTIMATE QUEST?
In summary, there is great power in deep gratitude. There is great wealth in selfless giving to others. The benefits are heightened when we give our true passion and purpose in life. This is the final component of the multifaceted strategy for personal success that this book presents.
Our personal transformation may be thought of as our ‘life quest’! We further can extend our quest to also achieve our highest life purpose. This can only be done with the right intent, wisdom, compassion and unconditional love. Achieving this ultimate success might be termed our ‘ultimate quest’!
…What might be your ‘ultimate quest’?
>>> CONGRATULATIONS ON FINISHING THE SOS BOOK.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Congratulations! You’ve completed all 81 chapters of the SOS BOOK from UltimateQuest.org. You have made great progress in recovering from a crisis. Or you have prevented one from happening in the first place. You’ve also started on your Ultimate Quest! Well done!
Keep practising the tools and techniques we covered in this SOS BOOK. If you need encouragement, remember you can go back and review a particular chapter that resonates with you. Thank you for your effort and perseverance.
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