You are walking down the sidewalk, and a person walks up and hands you an envelope. Inside you find $20 and a slip of paper that tells you to spend the money on yourself by the end of the day. What would you do with it? Buy lunch, a DVD, or pay for your dry cleaning?
Then imagine the slip of paper tells you to use the money to spend on someone else that day. What do you think you would do with the cash?
Psychology professors performed this as a test, and found that when they followed up with those who were told to spend the money on others, that group reported greater happiness than those told to spend on themselves. The results held true when tested in South Africa, India, and Canada too. And the results even held true when a child development expert conducted a similar test with kids using goldfish crackers. We really find more satisfaction when we use our resources on others rather than on ourselves.
We are happiest when we love people and use money rather than vice-versa. The more we test it, the more we find that it really is more blessed to give than to receive.
