12 - Today’s GENEROSITY Gives Me Significance

The tenth of Maxwell’s Daily Dozen is Generosity. Generosity simply defined in this chapter say that generosity is changing one’s focus from self to others. Maxwell opens with a story about J. Paul Getty who was once one of the world’s richest men. He was also known as the stingy billionaire, he would go so far as to even charge people to use his phone when they were over his house. When his grandson was kidnapped, he was quite hesitant to pay the $17 million ransom, and finally agreed to pay $2.7 million once the boy’s right ear had been cut off. Yes, he earned his money and had the right to spend it how he pleased, but Maxwell goes on to share with us three reason to be generous:

1. Giving turns your focus outward.

2. Giving adds value to others.

3. Giving helps the giver.

When Maxwell realized the importance of giving, he led to the personal decision that “I will live to give.” He said we can do this by:

1. Give others your money.

2. Give others yourself.

I like the idea of adding value to others. Here is how we can do this:

1. Value people.

2. Know what people value.

3. Make myself more valuable.

4. Do things that god values.

Knowing these, Maxwell gives us some basic tips on generosity:

1. Don’t wait for prosperity to become generous.

2. Find a reason to give every day.

3. Find people to receive every day.

The chapter reminds us of a wonderful quote from Woodrow Wilson which says, “You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.”