December 16, 2021

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  

By Grant Hicks, CIM 

Every year, I search through hundreds of articles and blog posts looking for the idea or strategy of the year that works best.  At this time of year, I come across a time-tested option proven to help you grow your own personal prosperity, donating. This is the year’s best idea and could be the best investment you will make this year. You see you don’t even need money to make this investment or strategy work. It can be an investment of donating your time to a charity, coaching a team, or helping out in a worthwhile cause. It's the one investment some of the wealthiest people on the planet usually make each year but is not reserved for the wealthy. It's the one thing written about in various ancient cultures and still promoted today. 

Book “Giving”

The book titled  “Giving” published by Alfred A. Knopf, 2007,“ is a call to action. Giving is an inspiring look at how each of us can change the world. First, it reveals the extraordinary and innovative efforts now being made by companies and organizations—and by individuals—to solve problems and save lives both “down the street and around the world.” Then it urges us to seek out what each of us, “regardless of income, available time, age, and skills,” can do to help, to give people a chance to live out their dreams.

Andre Agassi, who has created a college preparatory academy in the Las Vegas neighborhood with the city’s highest percentage of at-risk kids. “Tennis was a stepping-stone for me,” says Agassi. “Changing a child’s life is what I always wanted to do”.

Reach out 

This is the time of year to say thanks. I would like to thank you for following me along this journey. We probably connected this year by zoom. Even though we did not see each other this year, we connected. I encourage you to do the same with family and friends. I know it seems odd, but you can still have a meaningful conversation. I am doing my family zoom meetings over the holidays. I am deemed the family zoom expert now. Who are you going to connect with zoom or online service over the holidays? 

Capacity to do great things  

Donating. It's the one thing that will bring money to anyone who does it but at the same time, most people fear doing it. Donating does not have to be money, but look at all of the wonderful volunteers in the community and around the world donating their time. After all, time is money. This is one of the greatest money-making secrets in history? Give money or time away. That's right. Give it away. Give it to people who help you, inspire you, heal you or move you.  Give it to people without expecting them to return it, but give it knowing it will come back to you multiplied from some source. In 1924 John D. Rockefeller wrote to his son and explained his practice of giving away money. He wrote, "...in the beginning of getting money, away back in my childhood, I began giving it away, and continued increasing the gifts as the income increased..." He gave away more money as he received more income. He gave away $550 million dollars in his lifetime. We see it every day in our community of the wonderful businesses to give money to worthy causes. But what I'm talking about here is individual giving. I'm talking about you giving money and time so you will receive more in your lifetime. Give something from your heart. Don't be stingy. Come from abundance, not scarcity. Give without expecting a return, but do expect a return. As you do, you will see your own prosperity grow this holiday season.

 Happy holidays from our house ( on zoom) to yours!  

Enthusiastically yours,

Grant Hicks, CIM, National Director Practice Management
Advisor Practice Management
www.advisorpracticemanagement.com

909-17th Ave SW, 4th Floor
Calgary, Alberta  T2T 0A4
Tel  587 390 3148
Cell 403 970 8895
Email grant@ghicks.com   

PS Where do you want to be in 3 years?

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