Why Do You Contribute

Why do you contribute?  What do you contribute?  To whom do you contribute?  What's it my business?


Actually it is none of my business.  Contribution is a personal thing.  However, taking me out of the equation, it should be important to you to understand why you contribute, what you contribute and to whom you contribute.  Important why - because contribution should have a role in your happiness.


A guilt contribution will never make you happy.  An ego contribution will never make you happy. A tit for tat contribution will never make you happy.  Contributing because you believe it will wash away your sins will never make you happy.  A tax deduction contribution will never make you happy.  Contributing because you truly care for a cause will make you happy.  Contributing because you believe your time or money will make a difference will make you happy.  Contributing because you want to build something will make you happy.


Many years ago I was in my house of worship on the high holidays.  This was a time to think about your life and how you could become a better person.  After the service was over, the head religious guy starts reading, out loud, the contributions the people in the audience gave.  "The X family gives $500."  "The Y family gives $1000."  "Mister A gives $1500."  "Mrs. Z gives $2000."


I was discussed!  I was there for self introspection.   I'm not a religious person, but I felt a place of worship was a good place to think about my life.  However, the X and Y family were there to have everybody applaud their contribution.  The A and Z people were there to show off their contribution to the other people.  They didn't care about the high holiday.  They didn't care about the house of worship. All they cared about was their ego.  I'm sure they were depressed when they heard that someone else gave more than them.


Did you ever have someone tell you: "I have to give at least this amount because XXX is giving this amount.  Does that meet my reasons for contributing - I don't think so.  Did someone ever say to you:  "I give to ZZZ because I need the tax deduction."  Does that contribution have anything to do with that person's happiness - NO!  Did someone ever say to you:  "I go to church every week and put money into the box so I'll be forgiven for my sins."  Does that person even care about the church and what it stands for - I don't think so!


What do you contribute?  It depends on what is more valuable to you.  If you are contributing for the right reasons, your contribution should be something you value.  If you are a millionaire, giving $1000 to a cause is better than nothing, but it could mean you don't care about the cause.  Giving the millionaire's time to the cause probably has more value to them and therefore will bring them more happiness because they are involved in the cause.  


Giving more than you can afford will not make you happy.  When you give more than you can afford it will take away from other things in your life.  It's good to be involved and give to a cause, charity, etc. but, don't ever give more than you can afford because you will resent the cause when it starts taking away your time or money that you want to use for other things that make you happy.  In my experience, people that give more than they can afford do it out of guilt or ego.  Doing anything out of guilt or ego will never make you a happy person.


To whom do you contribute?  You have a valuable asset.  It could be your time or your money or both.  Those assets should be used for your happiness.  That's not being selfish because the happier you are the more positive energy you have to give.  The more positive energy you give the more positive energy you get back.  The circle goes on and on.  


I know you were not brought up that way - I wasn't.  I know it doesn't sound right, but giving more than you can afford just doesn't work.  What I found out was giving more than I was getting was not making me happy.  When I was not happy, the people around me did not benefit.  When I was getting at least as much as I was giving I was happy and the people around me were happier.  If you want to be the source of positive energy never give more than you get back.


Make sure you focus all of your contributions on things you truly care about.  make sure you focus all of your contributions on things that will lead to your happiness.  You deserve it.