Less Can Be More

It’s easy to make a donation. Every charity is happy to take your money.

The hard part is going from a little-to-many to more-to-a-few. Getting focussed.

At the gym I see a lot of people ‘dabbling’. They wander from machine to machine do a few reps and then move on. Instead of committing to a few exercises that could make a big difference over time, they try lots of exercises.

It’s hard to go from dabbling to doing. It means saying ‘no.’

We started No Small Thing because we wanted to make a difference. We were tired of rushing to make last-minute donations before yearend and wanted to be more thoughtful.

It meant saying ‘no’ to many and ‘yes’ to only a few. So we worked out what we could afford, reached out to friends and family and started to build our fund. It was a slow start - just like choosing only a few exercises at the gym - but it was a focussed start.

"The strongest of all warriors,” wrote Tolstoy, “are these two—Time and Patience."

Looking back over almost two years, we have made an impact. Our small donations have opened a door for many youth to get into the outdoors and learn life skills. And our fund continues to grow.

Instead of a stack of charitable receipts we have a commitment to continue to grow No Small Thing. And to open more doors.

Here’s a challenge for you.

Find one local charity you are ready to commit to. Maybe you need to learn more about their mission and results. Maybe you need to volunteer with them first or meet with their leadership team. Whatever it takes, find a way to make focussed giving.

At the gym we want to stay healthy and grow strength. With focussed charitable giving you can help a local charity stay healthy and grow strength. Less can be more.