In the early years of our business, I did a lot of free meetings. I did free meetings down at the county jail-at least I had a "captive" audience-and I volunteered to do meetings at the senior citizens' center. Over the years, I have given myself away, literally, hundreds of times to non-profit groups and special events. Each year I do free meetings at the South Dakota State Fair. Now, I am not writing to brag on myself, or to make you think I am such a wonderful person.

So why am I writing about the subject of giving yourself away? First of all, I believe living by this life-principle is, plain and simple, a smart way for all human beings to live. We all have been given gifts and talents, skills and abilities to use in this life, and life is so much fuller and richer when we share some of what we have been given with others.

Of course, let me point out that one's motivations are important and that "attitude is everything," so when you give yourself away, it would be smart to do so with the right kind of attitude. Always give purely for the sake of giving, never expecting to get anything back in return.

Ironically, even though we don't receive monetary compensation when we volunteer, there is another principle at work here- the principle of sowing and reaping, which says that blessings will come from our unselfish acts. Whenever you give of yourself, you are sowing good seeds into the lives of others, and someday, sooner or later, you will reap a harvest of the good that you have planted.

Today, let me encourage you to find some part of yourself that you can give to a good cause. Volunteer to serve on a board for a non-profit organization, or to pick up trash in your community. Get involved in one of the multitude of different things a person can do to enrich the life of others. Consider your volunteer efforts as a form of mental and physical therapy, for there truly is no greater joy or peace to be found in life, than to be giving yourself away.

Besides, the new skills you may learn when you volunteer, and the friendships that will develop as a result of giving yourself away are like the hot fudge on a dish of vanilla ice cream.

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