Jillian’s December Post: The Challenge Continues

Thank you for your calls and emails about my last month’s post on service. I loved hearing your ideas and experiences. One woman told me she’d hosted an important event recently. Most of the participants paid to attend. She also gave away a portion of the seats. She expressed concern that it seemed the non-paying guests did not seem to derive the same benefit from the event as the paying participants: some left early, others did not engage. Yet the paying participants raved about it. She questioned peoples’ perceived value of something if they have not paid for it.

I’ve been cajoled often for giving away copies of my book, donating my consulting services occasionally when I should charge. The woman’s question sparked my thought: who controls the perceived value of a gift? The giver does. I’ve donated gifts, products, services, and received deep, heartfelt thanks and often much more generous reciprocation, which I’ve always appreciated. I’ve also contributed and received no acknowledgment. They are the same to me. I give because I want to give. Giving is a part of me. Giving feels good to me.

As we enter this season of giving, I know for sure I will remember: the greatest gifts I’ve ever given or received have been those with no expectation of recognition, results or reciprocity (which may be called “barter” anyway, as it is not pure giving for giving’s sake). These have been the gifts that have had the greatest impact on me. And whenever I’ve succeeded in giving those gifts to others, perhaps not coincidentally, I also find much more giving also comes back to me – often in ways I never would have dreamed.

Happy Holidays and I look forward to more adventures together in the New Year,

Jillian