IT’S NOT ABOUT ThE mONEYWhen you do something to benefit another, keep in mind that giving
shouldn’t be about wanting the recognition for giving. It has to be be-
cause you just want to make a difference. For example, I don’t want to
be acknowledged when I give away a house to someone that has that
need. In fact, I may try to do it in such a way that the recipient doesn’t
even know where it came from. My husband and I do that now. A few
weeks ago we sent cash in the mail to a couple of families that we knew
needed money. We didn’t put a return address on the envelope and we
didn’t put our name on a note inside the envelope. We wanted it to be
completely anonymous. It’s not about giving to receive recognition or
to receive something in return. I believe God gives us the means to bless
others because he knows we have a heart to give to people in need.
So many times people think of success and achievement as accumu-
lating “things,” but I don’t think of achievement in that way. For me,
achievement is what I can do to make a difference in the lives of others.
The more I can do to make a difference, the more successful I am. Cer-
tainly we don’t give away all our money, but helping others gives me a
greater sense of fulfillment than any possession I may ever obtain.
estABlIsh WRItten goAlsAnother very important component that has led me to success is proper
planning and specific goal setting. I believe a lot of people don’t reach
their full potential because they don’t set specific goals. I find it helpful
for me to write down my goals so that I can look at them on a regular
basis. For example, I currently have a nice boat that my family and I
enjoy, but I have my eyes set on a significantly larger boat. So, I have a
picture of the boat I want sitting on my desk. Every day when I see that
picture it reminds me of one of my long-term goals. I am very visual
when it comes to my dreams and goals. I write them down and I keep
pictures in front of me to remind me of where I’m going and what I want
to accomplish.
Setting long-term goals is essential, however, setting short-term goals is
also imperative because short-term goals are the stepping-stones to get
us to our long-term goals. I recommend first establishing your long-term
goals and then working backwards to establish your short-term goals.
Placing these goals in writing allows you to refer back to them, measure
your progress and hold yourself accountable for your accomplishments.