By Stephen Tweed
Tennis is a great way to get exercise, have great social interaction, and take my mind off work and personal problems. I play three times a week when I’m in town.
Last week I was relaxing after my Saturday morning fast-feed clinic, and I scanned the latest copy of Tennis magazine. There was an interesting article about top tennis stars who are actively involved in giving to charity. In one excerpt, it said, “An extraordinarily large number of the world’s top players are deeply involved in charities and, like the rest of us the main reason they give is simple altruism (selflessness and concern for others).”
And later in the article, “Roger Federer, Serena and Venus Williams, and others make a lot of money playing a game they love. … At some level they feel they are being grossly over paid relative to the rest of mankind and there is a modicum of guilt. Charity allows them to enjoy the exorbitant money and fame ans still feel like good people.”
And … “The most subtle effect of being charitable is that it probably helps them play better. Why? Because contributing to others is emotionally uplifting, and people play better when they are in a positive, happy, emotional state, when they feel good about themselves.”
Are Home Care Owners Grossly Overpaid, Too?
Probably not. Some of you make a lot of money, but not in comparison to these tennis pros. But I do think it makes you play better when you give.
It’s really easy to get so inwardly focused that all you see is your work and all the problems you have to face. This is a challenging business with many challenges facing you. It just seems like it never ends. I know exactly how you feel. I feel that way too when my business gets overwhelming and I have to deal with people problems, cash flow issues, and demanding clients.
Over the year’s I’ve found that even when cash is tight and my time is stretched, I feel better when I give away some of my time, talent, or treasures. What about you?
How Does Giving make you feel better about YOU?
This past summer I passed the gavel after serving four years as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Speakers Association Foundation. We raise money for scholarships and for our Professional Speakers Benefit Fund which provides short term financial support to members in need who have experienced serious illness, injury, or natural disaster. The stories of how our foundation has helped members in need are amazing.
My wife, Elizabeth Jeffries, serves on the board of a school for girls here in Louisville called Maryhurst. It’s a residential facility providing education, training, and emotional support for young women who have been physically or sexually abused or who are addicted to drugs or alcohol. There are more amazing stories coming from past students whose lives have been dramatically changed by their experience at Maryhurst.
How do you give yourself away? What do you do with the little bit of extra time, talent, or treasure that you have that can be used to help others in need? How are you making a difference in the world beyond your business?
Last week I was at the National Association for Home Care and Hospice annual convention in Washington DC. On Friday, they held the induction of new members into the Home Care & Hospice Hall of Fame. One of the inductees was Paul Hogan, the founder of Home Instead Senior Care. Paul and his wife, Lori, built Home Instead into the largest franchise company in our industry with nearly 1,000 locations around the world. They have also donated a significant amount of money to the University of Nebraska for research in gerontology, and created the Home Instead Senior Care Foundation that has given away more than $1.4 million to local service organizations around the country.
I had an opportunity to talk with Paul and Lori after the induction ceremony and saw how energized and excited they are about what they are doing and what they have built. How excited are you about what you are doing and what you have built? In home care, “Giving Makes you Better.”
