Whether it’s hoarding toilet paper or making a land grab in the boardroom, grabbiness kills trust and relationship. It makes everyone around the grasping person instinctively start to watch out for themselves. And once we all start watching our backs, that’s a hard habit for us to break.
Ironically, grabbing shows how impoverished this person’s inner world is. They’re gripped by a belief that the world is defined by scarcity and that you’re basically on your own to make it. You can live that way. Plenty of people do. But wow. That’s a pretty bleak way to go.
In contrast, the generous person is free. She lives from a position of abundance and teamwork. He knows there’s enough credit and opportunity and resources to go around. She can be free of the typical turf wars and power games. Not because she’s oblivious, but because she’s just not playing that losing game.
So instead, the generous person shares. He can even share with rivals when it helps him to make a contribution to the larger cause.
Because that’s the game he’s playing. And there’s enough.
