CORPORATE SUFI: The benefits of giving are instantaneous

This may surprise you, but in reality the benefits of giving are instantaneous. Think a good thought for about 30 seconds right now. How do you feel? You should feel lighter and happier! In contrast, if you have a bad thought you will feel worse. As you send out good thoughts, you invite goodness—it is instantaneous! The benefits may be intangible or tangible.

A few years ago I was speaking at the Aga Khan University in Karachi. A driver picked me up from my hotel to take me to the auditorium where I was to speak and took me back to the hotel after the presentation. He was gracious and ensured I arrived at the university on time, waiting for me after the program ended so that I could mingle with participants after my speech. After he dropped me off at my hotel, I asked him to wait, as I had something to give him. I gave him a whole-nut chocolate bar I had brought from London, England. I don’t think he had ever seen this chocolate before because I saw him turning it over a few times as if it were a rare toy. He appreciated the gesture and was going to take it home for his children.

The phone was ringing when I entered my room. It was a call from another client of mine in Karachi who had just confirmed two speaking engagements for a substantial fee while I was in town. This was completely unexpected. I am not saying the phone call would not have come if I had not given the chocolate, but the timing of this phone call was, for me, confirmation that nothing you give goes unnoticed.

Back in British Columbia, I was in the habit of having a cup of coffee every morning at a convenience store before going for a swim, using that time to plan my day before the pool opened at 6

a.m. I was then the chair of the Focus Humanitarian Agency in British Columbia, whose mandate was to help disadvantaged children in the developing world. It cost $15 a month to send a child to school in the developing world.

I realized that if I did not have a cup of coffee every morning at the convenience store, I could send two children to school in the developing world. I decided to do just that—trade the coffee for the “child support” by sending the coffee money to the children. Two days later, while driving my car toward the gas station that housed the convenience store, I noticed a sign: if you bought 25 liters of gas, you got a free cup of coffee. I used to drive my car so often that I got my coffee back while still supporting the needy children’s education!

I find that each time I do some good, things get smoother for me. I cannot logically explain why and how. It could be psychological: when you feel good you are more energetic.

One fine morning I took my mum to her doctor, even though I had a huge amount of work on my plate. Once I had done that, there was a sense of peace and calm inside me. Next thing, I zoomed through some very important work with ease. When you do good, whatever the good may be, you invite some goodness back. Some people cannot understand this concept fully. All I can say is try to give unconditionally and experience it yourself.

You may not always be fortunate enough to see a return on your giving so clearly and quickly, but the paradox is that, when you give, somewhere you set the wheels in motion for good to spread and come back to you.