Growth, Abundance, and the Capacity to Give

Over the years, I have come to understand that many of the folks I work with in the public sector are caregivers, certainly in their work lives and perhaps even more so in their personal lives. However, as dedicated as they are to others, some of these givers are reluctant to receive care from others or even to care for themselves. Yet building a strong foundation of self is exactly what creates seemingly untold abundance for some and affords them the ability to give to others, consistently and reliably, and without sacrificing themselves.

It is pleasantly surprising how some people have such tremendous capacity to give to others and do so consistently. Giving is often considered a trait of “gatherers” rather than “hunters,” perhaps because gatherers create abundance that is predictable and reliable and hunters tend to have the “big kill” that while satisfying in the short term, is not sustaining in between kills – and that’s when we rely on the gatherers. In reality, the ability to give doesn’t have to be the exclusive purview of gatherers, but it does require that we create either professional or personal abundance. It means we must grow.

In a very recent installment of his “Winner’s Circle” newsletter aptly named “Personal Growth,” Lou Tice advises that “no matter how concerned we are about others, we are ultimately responsible only for ourselves” and that “being interested in personal growth doesn't mean you're selfish. Quite the contrary.” Growth gives us the confidence to receive and the abundance from which to give. Without growing, without abundance, we must instead sacrifice to give to others. I suggest that demonstrable sacrifice, like martyrdom, is actually the selfish path that draws attention to us much like the hunter’s big kill and similarly is not sustainable, while growth is the selfless path that allows us to gather abundance and to give, often without notice and for the longer term.

Growth, whether personal or professional, whether physical or emotional, is what maintains us, is what sustains us. So grow strong, take care of yourself, and give from a place of abundance, not sacrifice.