If your family is like mine, one of the more popular gift ideas at Christmas time is to give a thoughtfully selected book. A book that I will be giving this year is The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann.  While the story of the Go-Giver does apply to business, it also applies to how we live our lives outside of our jobs and offices.

The story follows Joe, a real Go-Getter.  But no matter how hard Joe worked and pushed, he wasn’t making progress toward his goals and he wasn’t satisfied. Fortunately for Joe, he was introduced to Pindar. Pindar was very successful by Joe’s measures.  His net worth, his home and his reputation were at the top.

However, when Joe met Pindar he sensed that there was something different about this man. Pindar was open and at ease. He was eager to share the secret to his success – giving.  Throughout the story, Pindar mentors Joe according to the principles of being a Go-Giver.  These principles include:

The Law of Value – Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.

The Law of Compensation – Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them. Or, your compensation is directly proportional to the number of lives you touch.

The Law of Influence – Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first.

The Law of Authenticity – The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.

The Law of Receptivity – The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.

Many of us may understand most of these laws. However, a story that clarifies and reaffirms our principles and values is a wonderful gift to ponder at this very special time of the year.

– Wayne