Giving Your Way to Success

(A Success Nugget)

Moving your way up, pursuing your objectives and influencing the world are all noble undertakings that can absorb all of our time and resources. Becoming self-focused and (for a time) ignoring those around us may seem the logical thing to do, but it is actually self-defeating. 

It turns out that the more we give our community, the more clear our own thinking becomes. People are more likely to trust and connect with those who, with no clear incentive, choose to trust and connect with them.

One of the most successful venture capitalists in history, Fred Wilson, could easily be secretive, unapproachable, selfish person. But, one of the secrets to his success is that he is none of those things. For over a decade, Fred has shared insights and described his investment approach in a daily blog. He spends hours every day interacting with his readers, leading a community and eagerly sharing what he knows. He also co-founded a public magnet school in New York, and spends time giving interviews and speaking at conferences.

By becoming part of the community (and improving it) Fred improves the quality of his options. His openness and generosity make him the first choice for the most talented entrepreneurs, and his proven integrity means that he can do more, better and faster deals. Trust is hard to create if you don't interact with people.

So, try connecting to your community. Donate a generous chunk of your time and resources to give others a hand.  Share your insights. Let someone benefit from your experience. Step up and be a leader.  

Reading is Beneficial for All Ages

From preschool to old age, it never changes: One of the best ways to grow and stimulate your mind is to read often, widely and deeply. Here are four great reasons: 

• You cross-fertilize ideas. Reading outside your normal genre encourages your brain to combine  new ideas with your previous knowledge and inspires innovative thinking.
• Reading is almost as good as doing. The same brain areas used for learning new tasks also kick into gear when simply reading about them.
• Reading encourages logical thinking. Story structure helps you organize things into a beginning, middle and end, linking cause and effect.
• Reading can improve your brain structure and health. In both children and adults, it has been shown to pump up important areas of the brain.