"It is not what you get that makes you successful,
it is what you are continuing to do with what you've got."
-- Denis Waitley
I've studied a number of extremely successful people. They all accomplished many good things and made a lot of money. The difference that stands out to me is what they did or didn't do when they stopped doing what they did that made them successful. Some made bad investments and lost everything, some retired to an easy life and died shortly after, some kept on creating, giving and living.
As an example, William C Durant, the founder of General Motors and Chevrolet who was rich and famous, lived on a small pension in later life and managed a bowling alley before he died. Another example was Andrew Carnegie, who sold his business in 1901 at age 66 and went on to create a system of public libraries throughout the country that were commonly called Carnegie Libraries--over 3,000 of them! One gave up and the other shifted gears. It wasn't a matter of money, it was a matter of spirit, attitude and purpose.
On a more personal scale, I think it is incredibly beneficial to continue to grow and seek and change and expand--not just in knowledge and experience, but in gratitude and generosity. It seems like sometimes life is a lot of working on getting, whether it is knowledge in school, experience in work, money from employment and that a fully successful life would include that, and also include giving much, if not all of that back.
This was Andrew Carnegie. He did both getting and giving back exceedingly well. William C Durant was good at getting while times were good. He never got around to giving back. Even if I amassed a pittance in comparison to Andrew Carnegie, I have so much I can give back from other attributes that I have gathered.
Isn't that just as true with you? We can start giving it back now. There's no need to wait. I think getting and giving go together so well that there need be no separation between them. It is all part of the same experience by just opening ourselves to that possibility.
Ain't it grand how great our capacity is? It is endless!
Grow Baby Grow! There Is So Much Living To Do! There Is So Much Giving To Do!
Spread Some Joy Today--While you're getting what you want to get, what can you give today that will make a difference? It is as easy as a smile, as thoughtful as a kind word, and as profound as a voice of encouragement.
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