I used to have a scarcity mindset when it came to money. Every dollar I earned felt like something I had to protect, save, and hold onto tightly.
I would think carefully before spending my money because I was afraid I wouldn’t make enough. So, I had to save it.
Ironically, despite my efforts to save, I never really felt abundant. I constantly worried about money, stressed about expenses, and anxious about earning enough.
I stumbled upon a TikTok video that said that the best way to make more money is to give it away. At first, I thought it was some woo-woo concept for getting your video viral.
However, I’ve always heard from entrepreneurs and the ultra-successful people that giving is receiving. Tony Robbins famously said, “The secret to living is giving.”
I didn’t even know what that meant.
Another quote that has stuck with me for a long time is:
“You get what you give.”
Again, I had no clue what that meant and how it would actually work.
The beginning of something special
I was too sensitive about my money, so it was hard to give it away. I had a scarcity mindset, believing I didn’t have enough, so there was no chance I could give it away.
However, something changed inside me, and I wanted to try it. I started giving money away.
At first, it felt counterintuitive. If I wanted to build wealth, why would I give my money to others? But I had read stories of wealthy people who swore by the power of generosity, so I decided to experiment. I started small, giving more generous tips, donating to causes I cared about, and helping people I met randomly.
They weren’t huge contributions. Sometimes, I’d give a dollar away, and other times, maybe fifty. It depended on the scenario and who I was giving it to.
What happened next completely shifted my mindset around money and wealth.
Giving created a sense of abundance
When I started giving, I noticed a shift in how I viewed money.
Instead of feeling like money was scarce, I started seeing it as something that flowed in and out of my life.
I wasn’t losing money — I was circulating it. And oddly enough, as I gave more, I started receiving more. Clients paid me faster. Unexpected opportunities came my way. It was as if my generosity signaled to the universe that I wasn’t desperate for money; in return, more of it found its way to me.
The most significant change had occurred in my mindset. I no longer considered money to be something I didn’t have enough of. Instead, I believed that I was capable of helping someone in need. There was no harm in giving a little away because I could always make more money.
The Law of Reciprocity works.
There’s a psychological principle called the Law of Reciprocity: when you give freely, people feel an innate desire to give back.
I never gave, expecting anything in return, but generosity naturally deepened my relationships and opened doors. I helped a struggling freelancer by recommending them to a client; months later, they referred me to an even more significant opportunity.
I donated to a content creator I admired, and later, they introduced me to their audience.
I gave free advice to writers who DM’d me on LinkedIn and asked for help. I didn’t ask for anything in return. However, they generously shared my content with their connections, which grew my connections.
Giving set things in motion that I could have never predicted.
Generosity strengthened my relationship with money
Before I started giving, money controlled me. I constantly overanalyzed expenses, hesitated before buying anything, and felt guilty when spending.
But when I began giving, I saw money differently — it became a tool rather than something to fear. I trusted that more money would come, and that mindset shift made all the difference.
Instead of operating from fear, I began making more intelligent, more confident financial decisions, which led to better opportunities and higher earnings.
Gratitude is a magnet for miracles.
The more money I gave away, the more grateful I felt.
Gratitude is a powerful feeling that can indeed create miracles. There wasn’t a single moment when I felt regret or negative about giving. Instead, every time, there was only a feeling of thankfulness.
I’d also heard about the power of gratitude in podcasts and videos. Now, I got to experience it in real life.
Final thoughts
The idea that you must hoard money to build wealth is misleading. True wealth comes from feeling abundant, circulating money, and trusting that there is always more to earn.
Giving shifted my mindset from scarcity to abundance, strengthened my relationships, and even created more financial opportunities than before.
If you’ve ever felt stuck financially, try giving. It doesn’t have to be big — start small, give where you can, and see how it shifts your energy. You might be surprised at how much more wealth flows back to you.
