The root of all evil? No. A means of exchange. Closer. An expression of appreciation? Bingo!
Over the past two years I have engaged in conversations about #money with a number of my coaching clients. It appears to be a topic of universal interest these days. In The Soul of Money Lynne Twist examines our attitudes toward money—earning it, spending it, and giving it away. I recommend this book without reservation--especially for fundraisers.
My own heretical view expressed above is that money is an expression of appreciation. When we earn it, someone else is expressing appreciation for our service. When we spend it, we are expressing appreciation for the product or service we receive. When we save/invest it, we say that our money "appreciates". That is, those who use it pay us interest or dividends.
In fundraising, I recognize that donors may have multiple motives for giving. I will assert here that the fundamental reason that donors give is because of the appreciation that they have for the organization they care about. Incidentally, they also give because they appreciate the relationship that they have with their fundaiser.
So now that I have totally activated all of your negative saboteurs around money (these are the voices that are saying: "he's crazy", "that's not it", "it's way more complicated than that", and so on, and so on...), I ask you to conduct the following exercise. For one week, or just one day, notice precisely how you spend your money. Every dollar and cent. Keep a record. And then sit back, and notice what you appreciate.
That is the question!
Whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer
Someone thrust upon you by outrageous fortune,
Or to take a stand for who you want,
And by doing so, to live, to thrive, to choose.
In a free society it is still possible to choose with whom we work, and with whom we do not. Oh, I hear the raucous chorus: "Feldercarb! I must work with so and so. That's my job. I can't say no..."
Well, to test the assertion that "I must", I suggest that those in the chorus ask Byron Katie's Four Questions:
1) Is it true?
2) Can you absolutely know that it's true?
3) How do you react and what happens when you believe that thought?
4) Who would you be without that thought?
In my role as a professional coach, I am free to choose with whom I work, and with whom I do not. It's among the most beautiful and enjoyable aspects of being a coach. And, as my coaching practice develops, I am becoming more aware of the folks whom I inspire, and who inspire me in a truly Co-Active way.
My clients are:
- Calm.
- Gritty.
- Motivated.
- Dependable.
- Entrepreneurial.
- Open to change.
- Straightforward and direct.
- Deeply appreciative of coaching.
- Truly nice, pleasant, and friendly folks.
What they bring to a coaching alliance is:
- Trust.
- Courage.
- An open heart.
- Fun and playfulness.
- A positive mental attitude.
- Willingness to experiment, fail, and learn.
- Compassion for themselves and their coach.
- A burning desire to advance and transform their lives.
So, with whom do YOU truly want to work? That is the question.
