Live Long and Prosper
It’s your ultimate goal: To raise enough money for your organization to be healthy and prosperous … for as long as your important work is needed.
Just like Spock said, “Live long and prosper!”
But in our work, it’s sometimes hard to focus. The firehose of deadlines, event planning, meeting follow-up—so much to do that it can feel like we’re always running short on time, money and help.
It’s easy to fall into negativity and complain. Even though we know it’s not productive.
What is productive—and what Spock does—is notice what the positive gain would be by changing something simple.
Credit: Pinterest
Spock would logically think through options and scenarios, and choose the one with the best possible outcome.
When you put the focus on what you’ll gain versus what is difficult, wrong or impossible, things happen. Good things.
Here’s an excerpt on change from “In Fundraising Focus on What You’ll Gain Rather Than What’s Difficult”:
- Awareness for need to change. The first step is to acknowledge that you have something you need to change (i.e. increase donor retention).
- Believe that change is indeed possible. Be proactive with the belief that change can occur. It just might not look exactly like you thought it would.
- Make a real commitment to change. Commitment means time and energy. But be smart. Make your goals: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound.
- Find a support system. Blogs, memberships, group coaching. Find a fundraising support system
- Get uncomfortable. Change should be uncomfortable. As Jack Canfield, author of “Chicken Soup for the Soul” says, “All the good stuff is outside our comfort zone.”
Isn’t change the reason we do our important work? To change the world around us?
It’s only when we make changes that we make a greater impact.
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Change your fundraising communication (Free webinar Nov. 21):
Storytelling is Not for Sissies
When: Tuesday, Nov. 21
Time: 11 a.m. CT (12 p.m. EST / 10 a.m. MT / 9 a.m. PST)
Register: Click here
- Categories:
- Fundraiser Education
- Strategic Planning
Lori L. Jacobwith, founder of Ignited Fundraising™, is a master storyteller and fundraising culture change expert. With a passion for the positive, she has provided coaching and training for more than 4,500 organizations and 500,000 people. Her work has helped nonprofits raise $300 million from individual donors… and counting.
