I’ve been thinking a lot about how to forward my life into greatness (wow, that was cheesy!) without taking from those around me – one of the aspects I love most about my work is that I never take from my clients.  I only help them discover and create more money in their lives, and thus more abundance in their lives.  But how can I use that concept of giving without taking in a global way?

Let’s face it: at the end of the day, the world does revolve around money, it’s what you do with that money that makes it a good or bad thing.

One of my career goals has always been to have the ability to donate freely.  To open my door and give to whatever charity knocks.  For most of us, that $20 or $50 could be (seemingly) better spent on bills and other expenses.  To me, part of true financial freedom means being able to open my wallet to anyone in need without hesitation.

Now, I am far from financially independent but my brain has been awash in ideas to combine growing my business and growing my community.  How can I give back before I have enough to give??  Then, through a conversation with my mentor, it hit me:  I can give a little bit back, all the time.  Every commission statement I take can be shaved off and that portion donated.  Maybe it’s $30 here, $100 there, but over time it will grow to be a huge (and on-going!) amount.  There is no real point in waiting until my annual cashflow is in the 6-figure range to start doing good.

It started from the idea of tithing, of giving 10% of your paycheque to your place of spiritual worship with hesitation or excuse.  Unfortunately, I have never been one to align myself with any one church, so I felt like I had hit a wall in my planning.  But what it, I thought, I could reach out and give to many different churches?  What if I could connect with many congregations, helping many different families with their silent struggle, and thus open the doors for them to freely donate?

But what part of me would I be giving?  I felt like I would be taking, benefiting unfairly from the assistance I was providing, until the concept of tithing in return came around full circle and hit me square between the eyes.  I can take 10% of whatever commissions I make from helping a family, and donate it back to their congregation.  Giving, receiving, and giving in return.

What a beautiful circle!

But it wasn’t enough.  I didn’t feel spiritually full enough to devote my work solely to that niche market, so I looked at charity as a whole, and I devised a networking plan: in 2010, I am going to align my business with many of the businesses in my community to develop a network of referrals.  10% of any commission I receive from the referral of a business will be donated back to that business’ charity of choice in their name.

For example: if ABC Construction referred me to one of its employees, and working with that family paid me $500, I would then write a cheque for $50 to the charity that ABC Construction favors, in their name.  So while I am benefitting financially from the referral relationship we share, I am not keeping it all for myself.  I am returning their goodwill to something that they hold dearly in their hearts, and helping them contribute back to the community as well.

The purpose of this post is not to brag, or to shine a light on my activity.  Instead, I am hoping to re-open people’s eyes to the idea of giving back that which has been given after a long, hard year of having little to give; to help people realize that a little will go a long way, and that the effects of one gesture will ripple and compound into greatness.

So, in honor of full disclosure, my donations will be broken down as follows:

*Personal business: 10% split between the Royal Alex NICU, Wellspring Canada and Kids with Cancer

*Business referrals:  10% to the charity of their choice, in their name

*Church/community referrals: 10% back to the church itself to be used as needed

So here is my challenge: find something that stirs your heart.  Find a way to make your work give back.  Find a way to start the ripple, and watch 2010 become the greatest year in your life to date.