There are so many great things about being an entrepreneur. You get to decide how far and how fast you want to push yourself every day. You get that sense of accomplishment of having created something on your own steam, and if you are successful, you get to enjoy wealth outside of what most people expect from regular nine to five jobs. But one of the best aspects of being an entrepreneur is your ability to give back to those who helped you along the way or the community which molded you into the person you are.
The first thing a lot of entrepreneurs do when their extra income starts coming in, is upgrade their wardrobe, get a nicer car, pay off the mortgage. Despite having worked really hard to achieve success, soon having all that extra money makes them feel really lucky. Lucky to be able to afford to eat what they choose, live where they choose, vacation where they choose. Their next impulse is to want to share that good fortune. In general, that starts with family.
A successful entrepreneur will probably start by paying off their parents’ house or retiring their parents. They’ll help out their siblings. As bank accounts continue to fill, the feeling of gratitude increases.
When something great happens to you, you want to share it. That’s human nature. That’s why so many entrepreneurs make a point of giving back, not only to family, but to the world at large, our global family. According to a survey backed by Ernst & Young, 89% of entrepreneurs donate to charity.
The desire to share good fortune is so prevalent, in 2010, Warren Buffett, together with Bill and Melinda Gates founded The Giving Pledge: A commitment by the world’s wealthiest individuals and families to dedicate the majority of their wealth to giving back.
Billionaires give away billions, millionaires give away millions. Each of us gives according to our means. It doesn’t really matter how much you give back. It’s the giving that counts. During this week of Thanksgiving, many of us will be thinking about just how fortunate we are. To be in a business where we are afforded so many choices; where money, rather than being scarce, is actually in excess of what we need. That being the case, why not decide, as an office, where you can give back?
Some offices will choose to help the homeless, others will want to help with local food banks or kids in distress. We all have so much to be thankful for. Choose a cause and give someone else a reason for thanks.
Not sure where to direct your funds? Check out this Business Insider list of the 20 most generous people in the world and what they did with their donations.
One of Smart Circle’s core values is citizenship, this is a value that helps lead our company and helps provide for the communities we live and work within.
