Give more than you take

A man named Wallace D. Wattles once wrote a book called The Science of Getting Rich. It's filled with much wisdom and good advice. To read it well is to skew your world viewpoint a bit. When I read it, a few things fell into place — some of which I codified here and collected in the ebook Preserve the Embers; Stoke the Fire. (Click on its picture over there on the right to get the ebook — then click the Richardson & Bluhm box to have someone print you a handy-dandy copy for a modest fee.)

Here is a thought that helped the tumblers fall into place and unlock my brain: "Give to every person more than you take from him," Wattles wrote. A corollary is the famous (I think) Zig Ziglar promise, "You can have anything you want in life if you will help enough other people get what they want."

Much has been written and spoken about finding happiness and fulfillment. Most of it boils down to: Locate your passions, then follow the dreams they give you. Cast aside negative emotions, or rather recast them in a positive way. Peter McWilliams writes about moving out of your comfort zone and channeling the fear into an excitement for the new adventures.

Once you've brought the fear under control, which begins the process of freeing yourself, Wattles' principle is a sound one for following your dreams: Give to every person more than you take from him. Make sure you have created something of value and quality that satisfies beyond the investment. The other person will notice and be grateful, and some will express their gratitude with more business, or by giving back, in whatever coin you gave to them. Consistently give more than you take, and eventually you will have enough — and sooner than you think.