Written in Partnership with Amir BakianTwo authors, Monte Wood and Dr. Nicole F. Roberts, are more focused on people sharing their book “Generosity Wins” versus the number of copies sold. Why? Because generosity doesn’t cost a thing.
As we enter the gift-giving season, It’s important to remember what this holiday represents. For children, it often signifies the time of year when alluring presents pile out from beneath the tree and goodies spill from hung stockings. But as we grow older, the act of receiving becomes less prominent as we shift into the role of giving without expectation of return and learn appreciation for the generous act itself. There remains a fondness for the adolescent glee that once accompanied Christmas, yet, something deeper is experienced – a feeling of fulfillment when we watch the eyes of our loved ones light up as they experience joyful new things.
This feeling is not limited to the month of December, it’s an experience shared during birthdays, special events, anniversaries, and so on. The topic of generosity, however, has become somewhat misunderstood. Society tends to lay more attention and importance on the actual gift itself versus the act of kindness, or worse, places expectations of receiving something in return, defeating the entire meaning of generosity.
When you think of the word generous, you’ll likely attach it to a person who consistently makes nice gestures, but typically in regard to spending money. It is common to link being generous with buying expensive gifts during Christmas or donating money to a cause, but there are many layers of generosity that go much deeper than that.
For two authors, Monte Wood and Dr. Nicole F. Roberts, generosity is a main theme in their lives, not just during the holidays or on special events, but all year round. With a mission to inspire individuals to cherish the superpower of generosity and spread it to others, their book Generosity Wins, is achieving just that.
“Through the course of writing this book, I’ve learned more in the last twelve months than any year in my career,” says Wood. “Part of it was the research that we were doing. Part of it was these incredible tidbits we were learning from the people we were interviewing. And then part of it was just the dynamics of putting together a book.”
Wood, residing in Plano, Texas, is a business leader with two industry-leading marketing agencies under his belt. He is recognized as one of Oregon’s Fastest Growing 100 companies, one of Inc. Magazine’s Fastest Growing 5000 companies, and one of Oregon’s Top 50 Best Workplaces.
Dr. Roberts, living in Washington DC, is the founder of Health & Human Rights Strategies, a healthcare and human rights advisory firm, and holds the position of a doctor of public health with a background in neuroscience.
The duo joined forces, bridging the realms of business, science, and storytelling to create a captivating book backed by a mission to change the way people view generosity.
Generosity Wins is a combination of a business fable grounded with interviews of real people, and real stories. But the book’s story is told from the perspective of aspiring executive Emily Gardner, a fictitious character on a quest to discover the power of generosity. Throughout her journey, she interviews some of today’s top business thought leaders, and yes, these highly accomplished individuals are real, unlike the protagonist.
“What’s happening is that Emily is, in her own way, going on a hero’s journey, and that’s what we want our readers to do as well. Monte and I are not the heroes, it’s about each person reading the book and deciding to take action for change and betterment and to go on their own journey,” Dr. Roberts explains.
In today’s society, generosity has become too often associated with financial giving when sometimes the greatest gift is a smile or listening when someone needs it. It’s about giving with no expectation of return that builds the greatest kinds of happiness and success. Like Christmas, a season rooted in legends of Santa Claus stemming from St. Nicholas of Myra, known for his generosity, has turned into a month of greed. That’s the case for most situations involving the act of giving.
Dr. Roberts and Monte realized this, and instead of idly standing by, joined forces to make a change.
“By telling a story, it is so much easier to make generosity relatable, to make it seem doable. And so I think to drive home that point that each person has the power to do it and to start today, I want them to feel like Emily,” Dr. Roberts continues.
With Emily as the guide, you’ll join her on an adventure filled with wisdom and insightful advice that will make you rethink the role generosity plays in everyday life.
“Our goal is to be the most gifted book in modern history. And so everything we’re talking about paying it forward is exactly that. It’s about buying the book as a gift to yourself, and it’s about gifting this to other people, giving it to other people who need this message in their lives,” Dr. Roberts shares.
With insight from Will Little (ch. 5), Sherrie Beckstead (ch. 9), Mike Kaplan (ch. 10), and more, you’ll uncover a radically new perspective on how generosity is a superpower that drives individuals’ success. And in the end, Emily’s quest will have become your own.
“An act of kindness is a form of generosity,” says Dr. Roberts, and “the more people that understand the power, the better off we are. It’s the antithesis of greed,” Wood epitomizes.
So this holiday season, give the gift that keeps on giving with Monte Wood and Dr. Nicole F. Roberts’s book Generosity Wins.
Embrace what it truly means to be generous by purchasing a copy of Generosity Wins, and sharing it with your loved ones.
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