Rob Lowe is the host of the Giving Back Podcast, which I have had the privilege of being a guest on. I highly recommend you listen to his show as it is a wonderful place where people and organizations are highlighted that are focused on others. He makes it easy for people to do good—connecting non profits with their next generations of donors, and helping business to give and grow rich. Rob’s tombstone will read: “He built people’s capacity to serve their community.”

If you liked the idea of Rob’s tombstone you can actually do an exercise he calls “Build it Backwards” to figure out what your core goal is. Start at the end, and then build your path to you. Think of what your sole purpose is—what you would want strangers to read on your tombstone, and then look at your life to see how it is you can end up there, fulfilling that goal.

When Rob reflects on starting up the Giving Back Podcast, he thinks of the axiom that you are a mix of the five people you spend the most time with. Starting the podcast was a way for him to surround himself around great people that he could both give, and grow from. He didn’t know what impact it would have, he just focused and growing and helping and it’s taken him in directions he’d never been before. Through the podcast he’s had to open up, become more vulnerable (which he admits is not a part of his background). It’s helped him learn how to read people and feel there energy—then using that to address his audience.

A major change came for Rob when he realized that while he was giving openly, his heart was closed off to receiving help. He had to have others point out that it didn’t make sense for him to give so freely, but be afraid of taking on help from those that truly cared about him. He had to accept that help in order to grow, and so should you. You can’t give to your fullest potential without also receiving.

 

Links

GivingBackPodcast.com (in contact form, enter Give and Grow Rich as the subject line)