Giving Leads to Joy and Wealth

BYU students, faculty and alumni were commended for their charity and encouraged to spend even more time giving the gift of giving, in Tuesday’s forum.

Arthur Brooks, the speaker, explained to students the importance of giving, and how it positively affects the lives of those who give.

“You simply can’t find any kind of service that won’t make you happier,” Brooks said.

Inspired by John D. Rockefeller’s theory that those who give will become rich themselves, Brooks began a study to find the connection between giving and wealth.

Brooks, an economist and author, said he thought this theory to be impossible, but his studies showed otherwise.

“I was perplexed,” Brooks said. “[My findings] didn’t go with my theory.”

Brooks said he tested the theory time and time again and still came up with the same results: by giving, people become rich themselves.

With these results, he said he then looked for the reasoning behind the theory.

“I found that happiness is the secret to success,” Brooks said. “Charity brings happiness, and happiness brings success.”

Brooks said there are four main myths that people hold about charity.

First, giving makes us poorer. Brooks said from his findings giving only makes us richer, not poorer.

Second, he said people tend to believe that people are inherently selfish. Through his findings, he discovered people only learn to be selfish.

Third, Brooks said though people think giving is a luxury, in fact it is a necessity.

This leads into Brooks’ fourth myth when people believe it is the responsibility of the government to give to the people.

“The day the government takes over is when we get poorer,” he said. “We must demand to take our place as givers.”

Brooks said he encourages all those who were listening to go out and teach others of the power of giving.

“You have been given the gift of giving,” Brooks said. “Now give that gift.”

He said if we want to help others, we need to help them learn how to give, not just give to them.

In the end of his address, Brooks commended BYU and the LDS religion for the charity efforts they have shown.

He said the example that has been shown to him has been wonderful.

If you'd like to listen to Arthur Brooks' entire talk, please click here to visit BYU's Speeches page and search by speaker.

Contributing: Whitney Clark
Photo: Andrew Van Wagenen