Did you know you cannot out-give? If you give to someone, they will almost always want to give more back. This is the Principle of Reciprocity.
When you look out for your friends and co-workers, they will want to return the favor. Giving is infectious.
The only drawback is the motivation for giving. If you give out of selfish ambition, then guess what? You may get something back, but it will never be what you hoped or as much as you hoped for. And, when you do not get anything back, you’ve only done harm to yourself because you are the one left feeling hacked-off.
Don’t give in order to get.
When you give, not expecting a return, the reciprocal giving is that much sweeter. And, when you give, not expecting a return, your feelings will not have been hurt if you receive nothing in return.
Take a look around your “world”, your social network, your clients, your friends and family — who can you give to?
Have fun!
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September 17, 2007 at 2:03 pm
Nice thought though sadly misguided - you didn’t take into account the large number of people who won’t eve nrecognize that were giving them something due to their sense of entitlement. Many people don’t recognize gifts because they believe their only recieving their due.
September 17, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Thanks Jonolan,
You raise a good point, however, my perspective was from the point of the giver. Granted, those receiving may feel they deserve it. There is nothing a giver can do about that except choose to whom they give to next.
Keep reading and commenting!
-eb
September 18, 2007 at 9:20 am
I enjoyed your post on giving. If a person gives for the pleasure of giving then they enjoy the giving and it doesn’t matter whether the receiver acknowledges or not. Of course if you are naturally a giver you will soon feel drained if you continuously give to those who don’t choose to acknowledge or give back. It would be a wonderful world indeed if all those that we come in contact with were always giving from their heart without expectation of return. If we live for example from the philosophy of the Four Agreements by Don Miquel Ruiz–then we always show up and do our best. From this place we always give our best.
Annie Lawrence
September 19, 2007 at 12:06 am
Annie, good comments. Thank you for sharing your thoughts — you r raise valid concerns. It is always good to maintain a healthy perspective when giving. -eb
September 27, 2007 at 12:47 pm
[...] Brown has posited on his blog WeirdGuy that the Principle of Reciprocity applies to the act of giving. While this is a wonderful idea I believe it falls into the realms of [...]