The Go Giver book cover

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

Imagine what the world would be like if:

  • We all looked for opportunities to contribute to the needs of others, instead of trying to obtain more for ourselves
  • We elevated others and endorsed their performances, instead of bragging about our own
  • We looked at what value we could add to others through our talents, instead of looking at what we could personally achieve
  • We asked ourselves what more could we give to our relationships, instead of asking why we don’t get more out of them

The above points are some examples of the difference in thinking between a ‘Go-Giver’ and a ‘Go-Getter’.

Some characteristics of a ‘Go-Getter’ include:

  • people of action
  • egocentric
  • get things done
  • more competitive and inward looking
  • most have only one speed and agenda – themselves
  • goal driven and will not deviate from that
  • need to know what’s in it for them
  • the players with the ball and their sight on the goal

Conversely, characteristics of a ‘Go-Giver’ include:

  • focus on bringing value to others
  • seek personal success while benefiting colleagues
  • build long-term relationships that benefit everyone
  • tend to be influential leaders
  • elevate the achievement of others
  • community-centric
  • think of the team before themselves
  • focus on empowering others

After a while, people become suspicious of ‘Go-Getters’. They know that they are only out for themselves and question their motives.

People want to have ‘Go-Givers’ around them. They make influential leaders and great teammates. They build long-term relationships that benefit everyone.

Would you prefer to be a ‘Go-Getter’ or a ‘Go-Giver’?

Here is a short video to share more of the ‘Go-Giver’ thinking and how this is ‘a powerful life idea’ for everybody:

 

[This post was originally published on BrendanRogers.com.au.]