“He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away.”
—Raymond Hull, Canadian Playwright and Lecturer
![Image of a person whittling on a piece of wood](https://www.thequotablecoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/QC-1141-1024x683.jpg)
Image from Unsplash by Nathan Lemon
In the best selling book, Give and Take by University of Pennsylvania professor, Adam Grant, we learn the pros and cons of being a “giver.”
Grant divides givers into two groups:
The first group have high other-interest and low self-interest. This can work against their giving nature; they burn out, or as put in today’s quote, whittle themselves away.
Conversely, the group Grant calls “other-ish,” maintain high self-interest along with high other-interest. This keeps them on an even keel and provides optimal results for themselves and others.
EXERCISE:
How can you more fully maintain your own self-interest and well-being while generously contributing to others in your professional and personal worlds?