Leading with GRIT: Inspiring Action and Accountability with Generosity, Respect, Integrity, and Truth

Chapter 5Generosity—The More You Give, the More You Get

When you give you always get more back in return. I'm not talking about material terms; I'm talking about a return in satisfaction and joy. Generosity pays.

—Robert Mondavi

There's just not enough time in a day. I've got way too much to do and not nearly enough time to complete it all. The time it takes to manage this team and workload is insane. There's certainly not enough time for quality meetings with direct reports. And I'm supposed to give feedback, too? When do I fit that in? I'm feeling so rushed I can't even hear when someone is telling me something. My mind is on a dozen other details.

Even at home it feels like I can't get up early enough. There's never time for exercise, let alone a nice breakfast with the kids before we all rush off. I don't know where the evenings go, except getting supper on, cleaning up, and finishing up project tasks for the next day at work. Something's got to give!

Can you imagine if you genuinely felt like you had plenty of time: plenty of time to do the things you wanted to do, plenty of time to listen fully to your child, plenty of time to help your coworker, plenty of time to hear what is being said? How would it feel to not be rushed, overwhelmed, stressed out; to actually feel happy and productive on a consistent basis?

When you are living in integrity with your truth, and you respect yourself and others, you will naturally feel generous; it's not forced. You'll have aligned yourself ...