Turning Crisis Into Opportunity

By Masami Sato

What we should be doing when the economy is down.

When the financial market is in chaos all across the world, people consider clinging on to whatever they have and also reduce expenses. And they think that everybody does so, mainly because newspapers proclaim as such.

However, each and every person ISN'T doing so. There are sections of the society which prosper, come what may. Those, who feel surprised about this odd equation, can find the clue for it in a most obvious place where they might have missed it. It might be worthwhile to analyse it together.

When a current is going downward, whatever the reason be, the way to survive is by rowing against the current. If we let ourselves to be swept away by the current, we may sink deep down and survival might become difficult.

The fact is that when we know our strength and can hold sway over ourselves, we can rise above the mundane and not worry about what is going on all around. Let us visualise it properly.

'Go-getters' or 'Go-givers'

Let's say we want more - more profits, a pay raise, more holidays, more freedom, and more opportunities.

When we yearn for a thing, our response is to try to get it. By that yardstick everybody is a 'Go-getter'. And a 'go-getter' is understood as a dynamic, enterprising person with leadership qualities. Such an attitude is a prime requirement for succeeding in life as we understand it. Nevertheless, there is an innate conundrum. When these approaches are put into practice, there are certain unanticipated, though unavoidable upshots.

Because after 'getting' and 'having' it what tends to follow is 'losing' it. We either lose it physically or we lose interest in what it was we got.

Then our interest swings to something else. This continuous swaying of interest is the biggest issue; the widening interests becoming a never-ending circle of desires so that we are never satisfied with what we have. It becomes a sort of junk food dependency!

But what if we turned our 'getting' into giving?

You might be conscious that the act of contributing produces a unique pleasure. This arises from gratification and not from alarm or self-indulgence. One can go on contributing and get so much in return like a most rewarding expedition.

Our charitable and contributing approach will produce charitable and contributing customers and group mates whereas our concern about the cost and "getting tendencies" would bring in only like-minded co-workers. Companionship with such people is surely not welcome for us!

Inspiring capitalism

Most ventures are today aware of the inspiring role of capitalism. They are ever ready to contribute more through many avenues. The idea has strongly impacted the business world as they realise how giving is central to business interests. A typical example is Bill Gates, who expounded the philosophy of 'Creative Capitalism' in July 2008 in a TIME magazine article.

He opined that the idea of providing for others could become a crucial factor in encouraging people to buy one product rather than another.

The essence of what he says is that when a business has ties with the idea of giving in one way or other, it is bound to be more tempting to others. It stands out above thousand businesses the attributes of which are similar.

Creative Capitalism is about rising above what we reluctantly settle for to reach what we truly aspire to. When we can capitalise on our ideas and imagination in a way that benefits and nurtures the wider community and network; we stop wasting our resources, efforts and talents in trying to temporarily win. We start creating the real win for ourselves and for the sustainability of our global economy.

The attraction of effective giving

The initiative of bigger enterprises to contribute back to the society is known as Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR. It is fast becoming mandatory for large corporations to do so. Still, when it is done for image building or as a mere compulsion, public may eventually realise the truth. Nevertheless, it is a face-saving mechanism.

Individuals and enterprises that 'contribute', appeal to everyone. Their fervour and conviction about what they do are acknowledged by the people with whom they build up relationships. This acknowledgement is in addition to the official public relations campaign of the establishment.

So, what happens if we allocate some of the marketing budget to go toward giving?

Giving creates something bigger than who we are. Giving creates inspiration. Inspiration can only be created when it resonates with the people whom we want to inspire. And we get inspired when we are involved in the experience. It is not just about hearing the nice stories of others. It's actually participating in those stories. After all, we all want to feel good in life by making a contribution-to our family and friends, to our company and to our community.

Transaction-based giving causes it to happen on its own

A far better atmosphere for donating has become possible because of an idea (or we can call it a 'phenomenon') by the name Buy1GIVE1 (Buy One Give One). Buy1GIVE1 is the abode of transaction-based giving. Transaction-based giving overhauls everything. Let us put to use our resourcefulness and decide why.

How would you like the scenario whereby every time you have a coke at a nearby eatery, a needy child in Africa gets clean water at least for a single day?

Or a different scenario where with every subscription to a journal that you would like to read, a sapling gets planted somewhere where it was badly needed? Or whenever you ate out, someone routinely got fed out of its profit?

Or supposing you are undergoing some training. How wonderful it would be if another eager student far away is also getting the necessary training as a corollary (believe it or not, the training does not cost the training institute more than 60 cents a day).

Where a motivational speaker at a conference is connected with a charity, part of his income might go to helping kids who have speech problems due to facial defects. It will be a matter of great satisfaction for the participants at the conference to know that their very participation is helping a deserving cause.

Consider whether you will be able to use transaction-based giving in your own exclusive way to go with your services or products to make your customers and other team-mates part of the saga of contributing. This is how you can do it.

The actual winning economy

Already, companies right around the world are 'getting' the power of this transaction-based giving. Just one example-the UK's leading supermarket chain, TESCO now gives a school uniform to a child in Kenya whenever a customer buys a pair of school trousers.

The Mineral Water Company known as Volvic is one that has followed swiftly in this transaction-based giving program. They connect their water selling to well digging in Africa and call it Buy1 GIVE 10, because when one litre of water is sold, the money that comes from it helps in making a 10 litres flow in the well that is being dug.

Small to medium sized companies are now starting to take leadership in expanding this global giving movement through Creative Capitalism. Buy1GIVE1 (www.b1g1.com), a Singapore-based Social Enterprise came up with a mechanism that has turned this transaction-based giving into something every one of us can be involved in.

Buy1GIVE1 is the home of the most impactful transaction-based giving in the world because it connects any business of any size to any cause in the world. It's creating a global community of business givers and for SME`s, Buy1GIVE1 connects businesses, their customers AND charities in a way that hasn't been done before. And it all happens automatically.

You can enroll yourself as a citizen of this marvel of universal giving by simply getting a Buy1GIVE1 `VISA` directly from the Buy1GIVE1 site at www.b1g1.com. And if you are an entrepreneur, you can become a B1G1 Business through making an online application and choosing the requirement for which you would like to donate and your product or service through which you would prefer to do it to initiate the giving. Buy1GIVE1 forwards the whole of the donation to their international Worthy Cause Partners (with more than 528 projects to choose) making the giving entirely satisfactory.

Are you aware?

* Half the population of the globe -about three billion people-is forced to survive on less than two dollars a day.

* Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their name.

* UNICEF has reported that more than 30,000 children die every day due to abject poverty, which makes it 20 child a minute and 210,000 a week.

* Just 12% of the people worldwide utilize 85% of the water available for human consumption. And this 12% does not belong to any of the underdeveloped countries.

* About a billion people have no access to minimum health care facilities.

* Rainforests of about 63,000 sq. miles get destroyed every year.

Data From Global Issues

Buy1GIVE1 Businesses-check out these examples

* Buy1BUILD1 (www.sunsplashhomes.com, www.arkgroup.com.au)

* Learning to learning (www.kipmcgrath.com.au)

* Medical practice providing medical benefits (www.primanora.com)

* Telephone card helping in communication (www.ultimatecomms.com)

* Mind Expansion to curing (www.meditate.com.au)

* Losing weight to feeding children (www.bodychain.com)

* Luminous blinds to luminous classrooms (www.blindscouture.com.au)

* Socks for comfort to feet free of frostbite (www.socksforhappypeople.com)

* Learning to educating social organizers (www.b1g1forcoaches.com)

* And for an overall look, simply go to www.b1g1.com.

Unearthing what we are looking for-Nature's eternal secret

So let's let us return to the starting point-turbulent economics and managing to get what we need. The needs are in fact not all that knotty. They are just a group of three words that begin with the letter S - strong bonds, solidarity and society.

When we can pool resources and not segregate and when we can divine a proper way to augment what everyone has got and not cut down from what each has got, we understand that there is a veritable cornucopia of sources to be had in the world. And when we bond, not just with our physical persona, but with our intrinsic selves, we discern something completely fascinating -that we're all ONE. Then we comprehend how uncomplicated it is to form a universal community from something as ordinary as giving.

The secret was always alive in nature

In the wild, all types of insects cross-fertilize plants to create fruits and flowers of endless varieties benefitting men and animals alike. The perfect give and take pattern was there even before civilizations started.

Failures are said to be stepping stones to success. In the same way we can turn setbacks into advantages. In reality we should be thankful for the current situation that is helping us to move ahead.

And when a person opts to begin giving today itself, the sense of euphoria would be much more, notwithstanding the economic problems. And with this sense of elation comes a reawakening of hope that will remind him of how the power and direction of tide can easily change. And his giving might be that which brings about this change. - 31963

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Creating More Magic In Your Life By Masami Sato - Simple Quotes

By Masami Sato

Part 3 of 3

This collection of beautiful quotes will simply inspire you to live a life full of miracles. Joy is excerpted from "ONE", a book by Masami Sato - the founder of Buy1GIVE1. The quotes in this edition include topics that are profoundly related to our everyday lives, such as mastering things, magic, honesty, imagination, problems, and simplicity. This article is the last part of the three "ONE Book Life-Changing Quotes Series".

On mastering things

"Friends share with us what they think and feel. Teachers teach us what to do and how to do it. Coaches ask us who we want to be. Mentors show us who we can be. Masters show us who we really are."

"Doing things we've never done can often seem very difficult and complicated until the day we actually try them out."

"Friends share with us what they think and feel. Teachers teach us what to do and how to do it. Coaches ask us who we want to be. Mentors show us who we can be. Masters show us who we really are."

"(Children) learn by playing and become the masters of the game. And they do it just by having fun."

On honesty

"When we held back our feelings and said things only to please others, often we ended up upsetting someone later."

"There is no such thing as an unbreakable promise for the future."

On imagination

"in our imagination, we can do anything."

On magic

"Miracles are not accidents. We create them through our choices."

What problems?

"There was nothing to 'solve', just something to share."

"There was nothing to 'solve', just something to share."

Simplicity

"If we count all the things we love in our life, we may find the way to bring in more simplicity and joy into it"

"Maybe it's actually all very simple. No worries-tomorrow is just another day! - 31963

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Small Business Coaching and Creating a Mission

By George Carmichael

In this difficult economic climate, small businesses all over the world are feeling the pinch. Getting a small business through such difficult times can be daunting; many small business owners are having a tough time staying motivated and even tougher time maintaining a strong mission for their company. A small business coaching program will help you strengthen and clarify your company's mission.

Many small business owners do not have a good answer when asked: "How is business this year?"

You might have had your own business for several years, or only a short time, but the bottom line is that the current economic crunch has likely hit home for you, just as it has for many small business entrepreneurs.

It is important for you to consider the mission of your company right now, and get re-focused!

A lot of people think that having a company mission is reserved for large corporations and big board rooms. This is not true. It is just as important for a small business to have a clear mission as it is for a large business.

A strong mission for your small business acts as a simple blueprint for your business. You should think about growing your business as a construction contract. A blueprint will provide you with the simple guide that you need to take your business to the next level.

Your company mission will help you understand what you want your business to be. Instead of simply "paying the bills", a mission can push you in the direction that leads to success.

In business, if you focus on something and strive towards it, the chances of achieving the goal are amplified. If your mission is to focus on "paying the bills", then that is what you will achieve. If you do not define the mission for your company, then you cannot see where the business can go.

A strong mission will have meaning, goals, directives, and a vision. Ask yourself about the core values of your business, and you will have a good start on creating a mission.

Once your small business has a clear, strong mission, you will benefit from the help of a small business coach who will help you to take the necessary steps to execute that mission and make your goals a solid reality.

If you require help implementing your mission, remaining focused, pushing through this tough economic time, and re-gaining some purpose for your business, a powerful small business coaching program will be exactly what you need! - 31963

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Quotes From Masami Sato's Book : ONE - Sharing The Joy Of Giving

By Masami Sato

Part One of Three

This collection of beautiful quotes that will inspire you to awaken your curiosity about the mystery of life is excerpted from "ONE", a book by Masami Sato, the founder of Buy1GIVE which is a global giving organisation sharing the joy of giving. The quotes in this first edition include topics that are profoundly related to our everyday lives, such as mystery, judgment and connection. This article is the first part of the 3 "ONE Book Life-Changing Quotes Series".

On transforming judgment

"Judgment often has very little relation to reality."

"Actions and words don't always accurately reflect who we are. Every single one of us has had the experience of wanting to undo what we did or said."

On the mystery of life

"It's very, very clear that we don't need to know all of the 'hows' and 'whys' of life to keep living on this planet."

"There are so many things we don't understand in life. In spite of that lack of understanding though, we often enjoy experiencing those things."

"Seeing is important but trying to figure out everything isn't necessary."

"The scientists are not here to reveal the 'truth' because we are here to seek it forever. They are actually here to complicate the game (of life) so that we can have more questions and enjoy the game longer."

Connection

"Connection is the core of everything. That's what life is. Connection."

"Every single thing we do is to satisfy the need for connection."

"We cannot feel unhappy when we are feeling totally connected. It's impossible!"

"We are designed to constantly seek ways to connect to each other and to a greater purpose."

"'solutions' coming from fear and doubt may not be the most effective ways. We end up feeling more and more disconnected from each other."

"We can only truly celebrate the victory with others when we win together. Then we feel connected."

"This is the game called ONE. The aim of the game is to 'connect'! We keep connecting until we all become ONE. - 31963

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One Straw Millionaire

By Masami Sato

A millionaire made easy through giving!

There is an old historical Japanese tale about giving and it shows how we can receive the most extraordinary gifts when we're giving and appreciative of what we already have.

This is the folk tale.

A long time ago, there lived a penniless young farmer. Nothing that he did turned out to be profitable. He was completely impoverished without any money, without anyone to help and nothing to eat. One night, totally at his wit's end, he went to a shrine and sat near the altar and pleaded to Gods to show him what to do.

"I have always been honest and hardworking, but all my hard work never produced any reward for me. What am I doing wrong?"

He fell asleep near the altar just after he put the question. When he woke up in the morning, he saw in front of him one of the Gods he had seen in his dream, with a bright golden light around him. The God's voice reverberated in his mind.

"When you wake up in the morning, cherish what you have in your hand and go on giving it to others liberally as you proceed," the God commanded.

The farmer was brimming with questions when he woke up but he tried to shake off his sleep and clear his mind of the strange but clear dream he had. However, he saw a bit of a straw in his hand. It must have remained on his clothes while he worked in his fields.

He almost threw it away, but stopped short of doing it recollecting what God had said about it. He seated himself again and stared at the straw in his hand.

He sat for a while unable to comprehend what all that meant. He did not know how a piece of straw can turn out to be useful. Then he saw a wasp hovering around. After a while the wasp settled on one end of his straw. He caught it and with the help of a thread from his clothes, tied it to the straw. And with a wasp at the end of his straw, he went on his way.

He had only walked for a few minutes before he saw a little boy and his mother coming from the other direction. The boy was crying. As he said hello, the boy noticed the wasp moving on the straw that the farmer was holding. He stopped crying and asked for the straw. The farmer nearly declined but then he remembered about the God's message that he needed to treasure what he had but also remembered that he was to give it away to others. So, he offered the straw to the boy. The mother was very appreciative as now the boy stopped crying and began smiling. The mother offered the farmer three tangerines.

The farmer moved on. As he proceeded, he felt hungry. He was about to eat the tangerines when he again remembered that what was important was giving things to others, not giving it to himself.

The farmer was going over a steep hill and on the way he saw a merchant sitting under a tree. The man had a wooden box near him. The farmer wished the man. He appeared to be very tired. He saw the tangerines the farmer held and asked him if he would give it to him. The merchant told the farmer that he was very thirsty.

The farmer was also equally thirsty as the day was hot and he had walked pretty long, still he gave all the three tangerines to the trader. The man ate all the three tangerines and felt fully energized. He felt very thankful to the farmer who was so kind. To show his gratitude, he opened the box that he had kept near him. The box contained several bolts of hand dyed silk. The trader took out one roll, gifted it to the farmer and left.

So off the farmer went again following the path. He found a stream along the way and he took a deep drink making him feel totally refreshed. Life seemed to be easier and was flowing now.

The farmer walked and walked not seeing anyone for a long time. He started to think that maybe this was it - his fortune. So, he decided to go to the nearby town to sell the fabric.

But just as he went around the corner, he saw in front of him a band of fighters. One of the fighters who looked liked the head of the band stood near a horse that was lying on the earth. The farmer heard the leader talking to his men.

"It does not appear that this horse would live much. We will have to leave it here. Nurse it well and catch up with me." With this the leader jumped on to another horse and rode off, moving out of people's sight.

The remaining soldiers were left discussing what to do about it. They were reluctant to kill the animal but they did not have much of a choice. At last one of them took out a sword.

The farmer quickly ran over to them and asked them to stop. He said he would like to look after the horse. He also offered the silk fabric to the warriors. They jumped at the offer and took off very quickly.

The farmer stood there with the horse that was in its death throes. He felt he might have got it all wrong and that he was not destined to be wealthy. Then he thought of the river that he had come across on the way.

He turned back and went to the river, removed his shirt and immersed it in the river to get water for the horse. He went back to the animal lying on the earth and pressed the water out of the shirt gently into its mouth. As the water went inside drop by drop, the animal slowly got recharged and finally the farmer was able to help it stand up.

The horse finally stood up on its legs so the farmer could take the horse to the stream. As the horse took more water and ate some fresh green grass around the stream, it soon began to regain strength.

The farmer now had a companion. They journeyed together, the horse in front, and the farmer panting behind to keep up with it. They traveled for miles in that manner. At last, as the sun was about to set, the animal came to a stop just in front of a rather big house. When the farmer drew alongside, the horse pushed him in the direction of the gate with its snout.

As the farmer approached the gate, the doors swung open and to his surprise, an old man appeared. The old man was rushing outside and was looking a little pale. He noticed the farmer and the horse standing by the gate.

The man queried the farmer what he wanted. The farmer replied that he was in need of a place to retire for the night. The old man in his turn said that he had to go to the town on an important matter and requested the farmer to be in charge of the house till such time that he returned. He said that his returning might get delayed.

The old man looked as if he was in a hurry, so the farmer told him he can take his horse. The old man was very grateful about it and immediately left with the horse. As he left, he said something totally unexpected to the farmer.

"If I do not return within three years, this house is yours."

As you probably guessed, the old man never returned.

So the farmer lived happily ever after in the old man's big house with kind-hearted neighbours around and a land rich in good crops. He always kept in mind the rule that he should give to others what he had.

Thank you for reading this story. And what do you think it is all about?

Maybe there is a key to something. When we can turn our 'getting game' into a 'giving game', our life often flows bringing more abundance. But it is not always easy to practice the old wisdom in our real life.

Here are some of the interesting distinctions we can find in this story :

* When we are ready to give what others need, they will consider it more valuable than while we are trying to 'trade' it (as basically we are always hopeful of getting something out of that transaction), as then they only consider the price we ask for and tend to pay less.

* When we are not possessive of whatever we have, we will perceive that we thereby have more chances as we can release the existing possessions.

* When life seems to deal us a bad hand, instead of focusing on the problem if instead we focused on giving and caring, life seems to end up bringing better luck later.

* When we try to 'cash in' what we have built up, thinking that "this is the best it gets", because we think we may lose out it if we do not cash in now, our life's growth often ends there. What if instead, we continued to be giving generously no matter what we owned or how physically wealthy we were or were not.

Giving is part of many successful people's lives. When we give first, we have more chance of living a life of magnificence, ease and expansion. - 31963

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'ONE - Sharing The Joy Of Giving' By Masami Sato - Key Quotes

By Masami Sato

Part Two of Three

This collection of beautiful quotes that will inspire you to discover and embrace the joy of giving is extracted from Masami Sato's second book - "ONE". Masami is the founder of a global giving movement called Buy1GIVE1. The quotes in this edition include topics that are related to our everyday lives, such charity, giving, receiving, joy, making a difference and rich-poor separation. This article is the second part of three "ONE Book Life-Changing Quotes Series".

On giving (and receiving)

"When we give more and communicate wholeheartedly, we have less insecurity-both emotionally and physically."

"Giving love is the only way to be generously loved."

"The people who give more (time, money, kindness, love, ideas) have more of these things because that's the balance. And balance is the natural law of life."

"one key in the giving process is never to expect a return when we give."

"We can feel the real joy of giving when we're doing something for others knowing that we're simply doing it for ourselves-we're doing it for our own joy."

"Giving something to others is so much easier than trying to get it first."

"Giving is just a part of who we are."

"Every single one of us prospers when we learn to give value to others first. We are rewarded naturally."

"We're not here to give in order 'to get'. We're here to have more to give more."

"Because we can't have scarcity when we are totally grateful."

"Giving to others is actually giving to self."

"What if giving actually was as important as brushing teeth?"

"Giving is not just about helping others. It is about sharing the joy. We do it for our own joy first and we pass it on."

On joy

"So without denying the benefit of having more innovation (because it feels good), can we find the way to have more joy in our life? If we can, then we can go beyond the temporal gratification. We can create a sense of permanent certainty."

On charity

"Charity organisations are like our out-sourcing agencies for the giving of our life."

"Businesses and charities are actually the same thing. Someone started the organisation with the passion to do something-to make a difference."

"The moment we start giving out of guilt, we appreciate charities far less."

On having more or having less

"The moment we perceive someone as 'poor', our perception creates the poor feeling in the other person."

"The moment we believe we have more, we're saying others have less. And OUR attitude creates separation."

On making a difference

"Big is nothing other than a whole lot of 'smalls'. Small things can actually transform the world. - 31963

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Discover Your 'Giving Honey Bee' Profile

By David Anttony

Bumblebees are all giving by nature. They give naturally to maintain the environment of abundance. But each bee actually takes a different role in maintaining the colony as well as the flower garden. So, I thought human beings are the same. We are all naturally giving and sharing. But we tend to express our giving in different ways. So, here it is a 'giving bumblebee' chart where you can find your bumblebee type. Watch out for the following bumblebee analysis! The more you share your value as a giving bumblebees, the more we can all do together to make a difference.

Check here for image: http://www.buy1-give1free.com/images/What-type-of-giving-bee-are-you-Global-Giving-Village-sml.jpg

Bee type analysis

1. Change-making bee

A giving bumblebee who likes to see change - who spots every opportunity to do something better and worthwhile. A change-making bumblebee often starts up new interesting projects for others to participate in. A flexible thinker who can collaborate well with others while often taking a leadership focus in making change. Many entrepreneurs and creators are this type of giving bee. They are not afraid of experiencing change.

2. Believing bumblebee

A giving bumblebee who believes in one core philosophy very strongly and inspire others to follow. Rather than changing all the time and being too flexible, this giving bumblebee attracts people by being solid like a rock and integral to the unfaltering belief and vision. Some of the religious leaders as well as politicians are this type of giving bumblebee. Believing bees makes for a great leader who attracts large numbers of followers. This bumblebee also can be a great follower who strongly supports an existing belief and excites others to come together.

3. Caring and nurturing bumblebee

A giving bee who may not stand out as a firm leader but actually are the biggest heart focused giver. A caring and nurturing bee is selfless in giving and is always the first to take the giving action when seeing anyone in need. Though this bumblebee seems gentle and subtle, the strong desire to give and care for others drives this giving bee to exhibit some astounding giving acts. Many people who dedicate their lives to giving (volunteering, community service etc) are this type of bee. Giving is totally natural to them.

4. Supporting and uniting bumblebee

A giving bee who sees the biggest value in uniting and collaborating in effective partnerships. This giving bee is very focused on finding existing great ideas, mechanisms, philosophies or beliefs to benefit the community. It tends to support what resonates with him/her more often than coming up with a brand new way. A supporting and uniting bumblebee is less attached to own way and has more flexible thinking while being quite strategic about what to support. Rather than taking direct action emotionally, this bee sees the value in creating the long-term unity. Long-term 'quiet' charity givers and people who take low profile in community giving but stick to the same project for a long time are more often than not this type of bee.

Original article is at: http://www.buy1-give1free.com/index.php/598-What-is-your-giving-bee-type.html - 31963

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