My mom is a pastor of a church. We had a discussion once: why do I need to send church tithes, 10 percent of my monthly pay...monthly. How about if I pool it all together and write one check at the end of the year. Her response was as simple and wise as our mothers' can be: "Because you won't."
Most of us work all our lives. The story we tell ourselves is: "Once I'm flush with cash...I'll spend the rest of my life helping charities." But our definition of "flush" changes, we always want more.
There was a study done trying to understand if money makes us happy. They found that it doesn't. However, having more money than people we know...that made us happy. I've watched many billionaires feel like they don't have enough, comparing themselves to other billionaires that have more than them... They're now in the race to win. Be the richest among the people they know. We may not be billionaires or millionaires but we are all caught up in trying to "keep up with the Joneses," the race to have more than others we know.
Every study done on happiness, on purpose, on fulfillment...true wealth of an individual...always points to one thing: the impact we've had in the lives of others. Trying to fill your cup, no matter how small or big a cup, is a never-ending pursuit of emptiness, unless you also give to others.
On the heels of Hurricane Sandy, Next Jump created a small pool for those in need called, The Forgotten Ones. The Forgotten Ones created a joyful memory during a painful time. When it was hard for everyone, and giving back was the last thing on people's mind, it was one of the first things we did when we came back to work.
Change this phrase:
"When I have enough for myself, then I will give to others."
To:
"I have so much more than most people, my cup overfloweth onto others less fortunate."
Charlie Kim is Founder & CEO of Next Jump, a technology company headquartered in New York City. What sets Next Jump apart is their culture and focus on human capital, defined by: Better Me + Better You = Better Us. Follow Charlie on Twitter @CharlieYKim