The joys of life are varied and unending, but there is something which can’t be compared – this is the joy of giving. Throughout my career in corporate I met thousands of very well meaning executives who want to do good things for others, and really believe in the ‘joy of giving’. At the same time there were thousands who just said it but didn’t turn it into action. On the other hand, there are a distinct breed who won’t even tell others about their gestures and service to the needy. Needless to say such people are very less. Nevertheless the idea is to give, encourage others to give, and to cherish it. There is no larger joy more than this. It is the ultimate service which one human can do to a fellow human being.

As I was lost in these thoughts sitting in my car, I thought to a quote from the beloved Mother Teresa…
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“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”
- Mother Teresa

Undoubtedly these words are magical and so true. I started driving back to home feeling a bit satisfied that through my world, I am making my own small contributions towards helping the needy and the deprived. But certainly the world would be a better place if more people come forward do more and potentially volunteer. Are you one of them?

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I’m not giving a keynote for any graduation ceremonies this year, but I was talking to someone recently who was. He was sharing with me his ideas about what he thought he might say. It made me think about what I would say if I were given the same opportunity:Your first job is just that…your first job. Don’t expect too much because you won’t be there long.

1. Listen carefully. Listen to yourself. Listen to the people you agree with. Listen to those you don’t.
2. Give everyone a chance. You might get hurt every now and then, but it’s a much better way to live.
3. Be open to new things. The job you will have in five years hasn’t even been created yet. Don’t box yourself in by thinking you’ll be doing the same job in the same way for the same company in five years. Technology is pushing people and organizations to change faster and more often than ever.
4. Don’t wait to be promoted. Promote yourself…even if that means leaving your current job.
5. Take chances. Yes, that means you’ll fail more times than those who don’t. But that also means you’ll find success sooner.
6. Build relationships with successful people. It’s not an accident that successful people surround themselves with successful people. When these people are in your network, you can go to them for advice that has been proven in real life, not just the halls of academia.

If you had the chance to deliver a keynote address to this year’s graduating class, what would you say?

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Dan has long been a champion of changing the way we view the nonprofit sector. As he wrote in the preface of my book, Almost Isn’t Good Enough, the current ethic that we have about nonprofits “… seriously undermines our ability to create meaningful change in the world. This ethic encourages cultures of deprivation in charity and discourages charities from doing all of the things it would take to actually make good on their missions – for example, hiring the best people and paying them market rates to keep and incentivize them, taking risk to achieve more mission, thinking long-term, and investing money in the strength of the organization.”

The voices behind nonprofits need to make it a mission to help average people, people just like you and me, understand that philanthropy only works when a nonprofit organization is free to hire the right people, develop and implement the right strategies and deliver measurable results. As Dan puts it, “The nonprofit sector is critical to our dream of changing the world. Yet there is no greater injustice than the double standard that exists between the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. One gets to feast on marketing, risk-taking, capital and financial incentive, the other is sentenced to begging.” The pervasive view that nonprofits should not operate the same way as for-profits means that the nonprofit sector is hindered because it can’t compete in terms of hiring the best people, launching effective marketing campaigns that generate a return on investment, or implementing strategies that many not pay off in the immediate donor cycle.

It is time to change the way we think about changing the world for the better and it starts with changing our view of what it takes to bring meaningful change. The French novelist, Gustave Flaubert, said that “There is no truth. There is only perception.” It is time for us to join together and work to change the perception of the public, donors, the media and many nonprofit leaders. In doing so, we can supercharge charitable organizations and make them meaningful agents of positive change.

In a powerful TED talk that Dan gave earlier this year titled “The Way We Think About Charity is Dead Wrong“, he persuasively argues that too many nonprofits are rewarded for how little they spend — not for what they get done. Instead of equating frugality with morality, he asks us to start rewarding charities for their big goals and big accomplishments (even if that comes with big expenses). If you have not seen this video, I urge you to watch it and let me know what you think.

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Funds2Orgs helps nonprofits raise funds, supports micro-enterprise in developing nations & dramatically reduces post consumer waste.

Wayne Elsey launches new company, Funds2Orgs, to help non-profits create powerful events that engage volunteers, raise funds and make a difference in the lives of individuals and communities.

Orlando, FL, (April 3, 2013): Wayne Elsey, Founder and former CEO of the charitable organization, Soles4Souls and current CEO of Wayne Elsey Enterprises, today announced the launch of Funds2Orgs. The new company will help U.S. nonprofits raise funds by holding events that collect gently used or discarded items such as shoes, clothing, purses, mattresses, cell phones and other electronic goods. Participating nonprofits are paid for what they collect and the articles are then distributed to support and sustain micro-enterprise ventures by low-income entrepreneurs in disadvantaged countries.

“I am very excited to launch Funds2Orgs because my experience over the past few years of working with charitable organizations has shown that the overwhelming majority of the more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations registered in the U.S. are unable to sustain the revenues they need to carry out their mission. Compounding the problem for many nonprofits is the fact that fundraising can be a very arduous and time consuming process. Funds2Orgs provides turnkey solutions to create powerful events that engage volunteers and produce guaranteed revenue for the organizations that partner with us. Additional benefits of our business model are that we create and/or sustain micro-enterprise opportunities for low-income entrepreneurs in developing nations and dramatically reduce the impact of post-consumer waste in our nation’s landfills. This initiative is a triple win, stated Elsey.”

Through Funds2Orgs, nonprofits are provided, at no charge, the tools they need to create a successful fundraising event. “We help organizations create their own branded events and we give ongoing consulting, marketing, public relations and event support materials like collection boxes, and even coordinate, handle, and pay for the shipping of collected goods. The Funds2Orgs’ business model removes the financial risk of event based fundraising while making it as easy as possible to generate vitally needed funds for our partner organizations. Once we have picked up collected goods from a designated pick-up location, we issue a check to the participating nonprofit for the shoes, clothes and handbags and other items collected”, Elsey continued.

Hundreds have already explored the Funds2Orgs concepts and are kicking off fundraising collection drives during the month of April in many cities around the country. Visit http://funds2orgs.com/ to learn more or watch the video below.

Click here to view the embedded video

About Wayne Elsey Enterprises:

Wayne Elsey Enterprises (WEE) works with nonprofit and for profit organizations on strategy, branding and development. Its 3 divisions are strategic, educational and fundraising. The Strategic Division consults with organizations to strengthen identity and drive success. The 2nd division, 501(c)(3) University, is an online educational site designed to give nonprofit leaders access to best practices, expert and peer recommendations, and knowledge of current trends to help their organizations succeed. The 3rd division, Funds2Orgs, is a social enterprise that offers 3 compelling advantages: Provides U.S. nonprofits the ability to raise funds through creative programs that engage and deliver; Creates and sustains micro-enterprise opportunities for low-income entrepreneurs in developing nations; and dramatically reduces the impact of post-consumer waste by recycling, reusing and repurposing items that would otherwise end up in our nation’s landfills. For more information visit http://www.wayneelsey.com/.

About Wayne Elsey:

Wayne Elsey is the Founder and former CEO of Soles4Souls, author of the book, Almost Isn’t Good Enough, and current Founder & CEO of Wayne Elsey Enterprises. Elsey started working in the footwear industry at the age of 15 and was promoted to numerous manufacturing, managerial, sales and marketing positions. From 1999 to 2004, Elsey served as President/CEO of FSI. During that time, FSI grew over 400 percent in revenue. In 2005, Elsey was named President of Kodiak-Terra USA where he served until becoming Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls(S4S) in 2007. Under his guidance, Soles4Souls became one of the top 1% of nonprofit organizations in the United States in just 4 years offering an innovative new model for global charity work today. To date, S4S has distributed over 19 million pairs of shoes in 127 countries to victims of natural disasters and abject poverty.

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Some we like more than others. Madagascar 3 is the funniest film I’ve seen since Anchorman, and I misted a little at the end of Wreck-It Ralph. But, by far, my absolute favorite animated film of the last twenty-five years is Finding Nemo. It’s the one kids-movie that I stop to watch every time it’s on…even if our children are asleep.

It affects me so much that I once said to a friend without children, “I try to run our charitable mission by imitating the lessons found in the last twenty minutes of Finding Nemo.”

My friend looked at me like I had two lazy eyes and a meth problem, but I was dead serious. For those who haven’t seen it or may have forgotten it, I’ll give you a brief synopsis:

Marlin, a clown-fish, has just crossed the ocean in a desperate search to save his son, Nemo, who was “caught” by P. Sherman, a dentist from Australia who is going to give the little guy to his psychotic fish-killing niece, Darla, as a birthday gift. The whole ocean learns of the story by word-of-mouth, and they’re really pulling for Marlin to succeed.

In what looks like the scene where the journey may finally reach its climax, Marlin sees his baby motionless. The most important piece of his entire life is dead. Marlin is devastated. He thinks that his entire journey has been in vain, and he starts the long journey back…despondent, feeling like a failure.

When all hope seemed extinguished, Marlin realizes that his baby is actually alive, but the respite is brief as an even greater challenge than a sugar-addled little girl envelopes his world. Their only way to survive: keep swimming. Just keep swimming.

And that is how we live with our organization, the Half Fund. When we first started our journey three years ago, we had a mission to change the world. We would raise funds to make a film that would make millions of dollars that we would share with the American Cancer Society and other mass-media artists who wanted to educate the world about cancer and its effects on people.

How hard could it be?

As it turns out, it’s really hard. Well, let me rephrase that. The idea is not hard. In fact, it’s organic. It’s ingrained in us to make the world a better place by educating about a topic of which we are intimately familiar. The hard part is getting in front of people to make the funding possible.

So what is one to do until that magic moment when people throw money at you freely and openly? You live your mission in any way you can.

One of the primary ways we do this is by blogging…a lot. Our website was designed by the team of Wayne Elsey, a man dedicated to making the world a better place in ways he is intimately familiar with. He encouraged us to get our story and our message to the masses, even if it was just to a few people at a time. Because in time, those few people turn into more people, and before you know it the whole ocean is pulling for you.

Yet goodwill does not necessarily mean good funding, and at times, it does become discouraging. And yes, sometimes I have wondered if we are making this journey in vain.

But then someone reaches out to us, saying “Thank you so much for your message. My step-dad just got diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic,” or “I was feeling down, and your words really helped to pick me up,” or “Thank you for the tip on eating bananas during chemo, and you’re right…they are the only food on earth that tastes the same coming back up as it did going down.”

And this is why we do what we do. We started the Half Fund to help make cancer more bearable for the people that heard our message. Our eventual goal is to share this message with millions by way of the silver screen. But until we get there, our goal is to tell hundreds via our blog. While the degree of success is different, the mission remains the same.

Like Nemo…we just keep swimming.

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The Sandy Hook Elementary shooting is not about gun control. The shooting is about parental control. Why does a young man who has a mental disorder have access to guns and excessive screen time to violent video games? It is also about an unrecognized problem of violent media, violent video games, and our society’s denial of the presence of video game & Internet addiction. As a physician and video game addict, I am confident the problem is violent video games

 and video game addiction. I nearly destroyed my marriage, my life, and my medical career by playing 50 to 100 hours weekly for over ten years. My book is titled, Hooked on Games: The Lure & Cost of Video Game & Internet Addiction (www.hooked-on-games.com).

My heart grieves for the lives lost at Sandy Hook Elementary. As the smoke clears from this tragedy, the question of violent video games and video game addiction must be addressed. Based on reports in the media, the shooter may have shot the mother in fear of being committed for mental illness ¹, the computer was destroyed ², and the shooter played hours of the game ‘Call of Duty’3. In my years struggling with video game addiction during medical school and ophthalmology residency, I raged when I couldn’t play my games. When an addict does not have access to their drug of choice, in the case of video games the digital drug of choice, rage and anger are common. I envision two most likely scenarios in the Sandy Hook shooting: 1) mother smashed the computer and the shooter raged; or 2) shooter smashed the computer and then raged, both being a manifestation of the acute depression followed by refractory psychosis associated with withdrawal symptoms. I disagree with the opinion that the shooter was covering his tracks by destroying the computer hard drive, as his display of violence was public, not covert and characteristic of a person “covering his tracks”.  I’ve experienced the withdrawals from video game addiction, and it is real. Clearly, without additional facts associated with the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy, this may only seem theoretical; however, there is hard evidence our society is ignoring.

The perfect storm for the formation of a killer is mental illness combined with violent video games. A child addicted to anything is mentally ill, whether it is an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or video games. When the drug or activity of choice results in dysfunction, this is defined as addiction. Unfortunately, the medical community ignores violent video game addiction because there is no diagnostic ICD-9 code or DSM criteria, the written guide for psychiatric illnesses.

As a society, we agree that pornography leads to sex crimes and deviant sexual behaviors. We generally do not give children access to pornography because of the consequences of this potentially addictive behavior. However, when a game like Grand Theft Auto allows a child to have sex with a prostitute, kill her, and steal her money, we allow teenagers to play because “it is only a game”. “It is only a game” is a ridiculous response because we do not allow our children to watch pornography, as “it is only a video”.

The evidence for violence and addiction associated with video games extend beyond my personal opinion and experiences. In one national study of over 1,100 8 to 18-year-olds in the United States, Dr. Gentile found that 8.5 percent would classify as pathological gamers⁴. Although this could be considered a somewhat small percentage, the true nature of the problem becomes clear when one considers this percentage in population terms. There are about forty million children between eight and eighteen in the United States. Approximately 90 percent of them play video games. If 8.5 percent of them are pathological, that’s over 3 million children seriously damaging multiple areas of their lives because of their gaming habits! That’s over 3 million children who probably should get some help, but most won’t because there is no medical diagnosis for the pathological use of technology. What if one in 100 of these 3 million addicts are potential killers in the making? This means there may be 600 potentially mentally skilled killers without empathy in every state. Once there is a clinical diagnosis for video game addiction, it will be similar to the approach focusing on dysfunction. The medical diagnostic definition matters because, until there is one, insurance companies will not pay for treatment.

A new study from Ohio State University that will be published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology shows that violent video games promote aggression⁵. The researchers found that people who played a violent video game for three consecutive days showed increases in aggressive behavior and hostile expectations each day they played. Meanwhile, those who played nonviolent games showed no meaningful changes in aggression or hostile expectations over that period.

What happens to our minds when we devote significant hours to a task or an activity? What happens to our brains when we focus hours and hours on a video game? Dr. Stickgold and his research team at Harvard University published an experiment in the research journal Science illustrating that people who played the video game Tetris for seven hours over a period of three days experienced hallucinatory replay of the activities as they fell asleep.⁶ This phenomenon is referred to as “The Tetris Effect”. The game Tetris is a puzzle game where falling blocks of various shapes must be aligned to form a continuous line.⁷ When such a line is created, it disappears, and any block above the deleted line will fall. When a certain number of lines are cleared, the game enters a new level. As the game progresses, each level causes the blocks to fall faster. The game ends when the stack of blocks reaches the top of the playing field, and no new blocks are able to fall. Participants playing Tetris have reported intrusive visual images of the game at sleep onset.⁸

When a child has mental illness or addiction to video games, allowing the child’s mind to fill with intrusive, violent images is the perfect storm for a non-empathetic killer. Cris Rowan, expert in child psychology and author of the Virtual Child – The terrifying truth about what technology is doing to children, proposes the following formula for the making of a pathological killer:

(technology addiction from youth, with Tetris Effect) + (violent media exposure) +/- (psychotropic medication) + (deprivation of movement, touch, human connection and nature) = pathological killer

Rowan proposes that introduction of technology to children too early results in medical problems, psychological dysfunction, and failure in life. Rowan emphasizes that our technological society has strayed away from traditional teaching and mentoring of children that lead to desirable outcomes.

Whether or not there is an ICD-9 code or DSM criteria for video game and Internet addiction, I know personally it is real from my own struggles with playing 50 to 100 hours a week for more than ten years. I am not alone. I know of an ophthalmologist in his 60’s who plays World of Warcraft between patients all day and wears moisture goggles for dry eye, likely from staring at this computer screen. If this surgeon was drinking alcohol between patients, then we would not tolerate this behavior. However, because “it is only a game”, excessive and problematic video game playing is widely tolerated throughout our society. It is time that our society stands up to make a difference in our children’s lives and futures by recognizing and providing treatment options to this pervasive addiction.

Andrew Doan, MD, PhD
www.andrew-doan.com

Dr. Doan practices comprehensive ophthalmology and eye pathology and is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. Dr. Doan treats a broad range of eye disorders including eye cancers and tumors.

Dr. Doan is a recognized expert in technology and video game addiction. With a doctoral degree in neuroscience, his background in molecular neuroscience adds in depth knowledge into the areas of Internet Addiction, Video Game Addiction, and Technology Addiction. Dr. Doan is author of Hooked on Games.

Born in Saigon Vietnam and raised in Oregon, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Reed College. He completed both his medical degree and doctoral degree in neuroscience at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Doan completed an Internal Medicine Internship and General Clinical and Surgical Ophthalmology residency at the University of Iowa. After his ophthalmology training, he completed his fellowship in eye pathology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dr. Doan volunteers as a clinical provider at the Temecula-Murrieta Rescue Mission. He is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Loma Linda University and at the Uniformed Services University School of the Health Sciences. Dr. Doan teaches medical students and residents, published in peer-reviewed academic journals, is managing editor for the Journal of Academic Ophthalmology, and speaks at national meetings. Dr. Doan has served as Chair for the Young Ophthalmologist committee, Ophthalmic News & Education Network Deputy Editor-in-Chief, and an OPHTHPAC/Congressional Advocacy Committee member for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. In addition, Dr. Doan serves as a Committee Member for the Ophthalmic Mutual Insurance Company. When not pursuing his career interests, he enjoys spending time with family and serving at Rancho Community Church. Dr. Doan has served on humanitarian cataract missions in Burkina Faso Africa.

^ 1. “Adam Lanza’s Motive: Did Fear Of Being Committed Lead To Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting? (UPDATE)”. Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/19/adam-lanza-motive_n_2329508.html Accessed 12/21/12.

2. “Adam Lanza Tried To Destroy His Hard Drive. Here’s How We Can Still Follow His Electronic Trail.” Slate. http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2012/12/21/adam_lanza_s_hard_drive_might_be_destroyed_but_we_can_still_follow_his_electronic.html. Accessed 12/21/12.

3. “Connecticut school massacre: Adam Lanza ‘spent hours playing Call Of Duty’”. The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9752141/Connecticut-school-massacre-Adam-Lanza-spent-hours-playing-Call-Of-Duty.html Accessed 12/21/12.

4. Gentile, Douglas. “Pathological Video-Game Use Among Youth Ages 8 to 18.” Psychol Sci. 2009 Jun; 20(6):785.

5. Violent Video Games: More Playing Time Equals More Aggression. http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/violgametime.htm Accessed 12/21/12

6. Stickgold et al., “Replaying the game: hypnagogic images in normals and amnesics.” Science. 2000 Oct 13;290(5490): 350-3. 

7. “Tetris.” Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetris. Accessed September 19, 2011.

8. Leutwyler, Kristin. “Tetris Dreams”. Scientific American. October 16, 2000. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=tetris-dreams. Accessed September 7, 2011.

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No matter what holiday may be celebrated such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Ashura (Islam), or any other holiday, many common themes exist:

• Family togetherness is paramount.
• Religious service and observation is an important part of the holidays.
• A shared meal with family recipes passed down from generations is also a favorite aspect.
• Gift-giving and generosity towards others are common throughout.

In fact, the more you look at all of the different religious holidays and add up all the unique positive characteristics of each, it seems like each is worth a proper celebration. However, adherence to a specific religion will offer a specific story that defines the holiday celebration. There’s nothing wrong with that at all, but let’s also focus on what brings us together and not just the differences involved.

We get swept up in the holiday season so much that it’s almost like we have complete tunnel vision. It’s not like we need to force cultural holiday exchanges every December (although that does sound kind of cool), but it probably wouldn’t hurt to try to be more aware of the holiday celebrations of our co-workers, neighbors, and the friends of our children. There are probably some amazing festivals and displays happening nearby right now that would be perfect to take in, reflect upon and learn about celebrations from other cultures.

A common theme during the holidays is “Peace on Earth”. I think the more we learn about others, the closer we will get to this amazing idea.

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1. Don’t Isolate, Interact – Our tendency to shrink away when we get down or depressed is not the way to go. Remember that office holiday party that you shrugged off earlier? Go! There is no better way to feel the warmth during the holidays then to join other people and exchange season’s greetings. Wear a goofy sweater, sing a carol, try some egg nog, and have fun.
2. Attend a Church Service – If you’re feeling lonely during the season and you don’t necessarily have any upcoming social functions, go attend a church service near to you. See what holiday outreach activities are lined up and consider taking part in one. Maybe for a day or maybe just for a couple hours, but helping others during this time will undoubtedly instill a sense of warmth inside you in addition to helping someone else have a good holiday.
3. Accept an Invite – When someone offers you to enjoy their holiday with them, don’t simply say “No thank you” without a moment’s hesitation. Chances are if someone has the awareness to invite someone over during the holidays, it’s because they know what it’s like to not have a family meal readily available. People are protective over their holidays, so if you receive an invite it isn’t pity; it’s probably someone who really cares.
4. Think About Someone Else – Want a quick way to stop feeling sorry about yourself and stop thinking about your woes? Focus on someone other than yourself! Make the next 24 hours all about doing nice things for people you care about or someone who you think might need some cheer. It’s amazing how our personal state improves as we aim to make someone else feel better.

The natural tendency for many with time off and no set plans to be anywhere or with anyone, is probably to tip back a few holiday cocktails. Far be it from me to tell anyone not to enjoy their holiday with a drink or two, just be careful. Any negative feelings there before a drink, will undoubtedly be there after the drink. And sometimes a depressed state or irrational feelings can be intensified. My wish is for everyone everywhere to have a day or days that fill them up with joy, comfort, and peace. Even if the season can make us feel a little out of sorts at times, true enjoyment is right around the next shared experience. Spend time with and focusing on others and my guess is that your holidays will be spent the way they were always intended to be.

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My idea this year is to give a gift that doesn’t pile up or take up any more storage space. A gift that keeps on giving and never leaves you. A gift that you will in turn share with everyone you meet and undoubtedly leave the world a better place. That gift is leadership. Some of my favorite Christmas gifts that I ever received were things that were outside of the box and picked for me out of my interests and pursuits. I think that I have an opportunity for you to give a gift that will long outlive just December 25th, 2012.

As I have written about before, I’ve been working on developing the consummate online curriculum for nonprofit leaders and employees, 501(c)(3) University. The site is live and we’re adding new memberships everyday. We have put together an extremely impressive group of nonprofit leaders that create the 501(c)(3)U content full of valuable wisdom and information. Our motto is “Learn, Grow and DO” and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

From now until February 12, 2013, 501(c)(3)U is offering a Beta membership for only $49. That will allow the member to:
• Instantly download over 300 pdf’s of 501(c)(3)U content for free
• 25% off all future 501(c)(3)U content after the hard launch on February 13, 2013
• Access to our members-only forum where you can discuss your stress points and ideas with other nonprofit leaders.

This 501(c)(3)U membership will last for two years upon sign-up. Therefore, the gift you give this Christmas will last through 2014. A book is a great, movies can be hit or miss, try something different this year. 501(c)(3)U can provide just the right inspiration and guidance that someone special to you might need to receive. Maybe I’m just a leadership nerd, but I think this would be a pretty cool gift!

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My whole intent for starting 501(c)(3)U was too help fight a problem I see happening far too often in the nonprofit world and that is organizations not outliving their creator. I feel like the biggest problems are a general lack of understanding and direction that ultimately sidetrack many incredible ideas from taking off the way that they should. Everyone at some point or another gets that calling inside of them that will not stop until an impact has been made from giving to others. I know the feeling very well and I’m still driven by it everyday. I think that this University will become the destination for people who may just be getting started, experiencing a plateau, or looking to become better leaders in general. And do to this, I want to combine everything from my own personal experience and observations with the needs and desires of those who I am serving.

I remember a phrase I’ve heard over the years that says: “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” Now this is technically a quote from Greek Philosopher Epictetus, but I remember it more clearly delivered with a certain Southern sassiness from schoolteachers and grandmothers! I do however think there is something beautiful about that statement as well. If we are listening twice as much as we speak, then we are taking the time to be thoughtful in what we say or do. I’m a “Go Go Go” type of person and I have found success in taking action, but I think back to that quote to help ground what I’m doing. I know what I know, but I hardly think I know it all.

That being said, I have already received tremendously helpful feedback from 501(c)(3)U customers across the nation letting me know what it is great and what needed clarification or more development. These comments will make 501(c)(3)U the most effective resource it can possibly be. I would love to hear from you as well! Visit www.501c3u.com and give me your feedback. I cherish your opinions and I hope we get to talk soon!

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