There is a commonly sited rule in entrepreneurism that is the 10% rule. You should always make it your commitment to donate at least 10% of anything you make to the charity of your choice. This percentage changes depending on who you are talking to. Some people say 20 or even 30%, but 10% is absolutely the minimum.

Think about how this makes you feel. Are you uncomfortable with the idea giving away 10% of your paycheck? Does it feel like a loss to you? This rule is a great insight into how you feel about money. If it feels like a loss and makes you uncomfortable this obviously does not make you a bad person, it just means you are focusing on lack. You feel that if you give to someone else it is taking away from you. This is a great opportunity, because once you can identify a belief is holding you back you can actually do something about it.

We do truly live in an abundant world. Money and abundance flows freely and easily, and when you become comfortable with this process it is much easier to allow the opportunities for money to flow to you instead of away from you. When you are holding tightly onto your money watching every penny slip through your fingers you become more and more focused on the lack in your life. You become so focused on keeping what you have left that you cannot see any opportunities that come your way.

To change this belief you need to open up to the possibility that you can create the money that you want or need. A great way to do this is the 10% rule. The act of donating to something you believe in will not only make you feel better about who you are, but it will also make you feel better about your financial situation. Charity reminds you of others who are in far worse situations than you and gives you a better perspective on your own abundance. Often something as simple as this can really allow you to tweak your thinking and feel appreciative of your situation. This tweak changes your thinking from lack thinking to abundance thinking.

This will not only make you feel more abundant and make you see the positives in your situation, it will also make you view yourself differently. You will see yourself as a benefactor. You will see yourself as a leader, as someone important, someone who is a force for good in the world. This is what an entrepreneur is. They offer opportunities to help people solve problems or live better in some way. They create and contribute to the betterment of everyone (at least the ones who are successful long term do!) Again this shift in thinking will help you to see other opportunities around you and have the courage and self belief to go after them

Finally, what you give comes back to you. As I said abundance is a flow, you have to allow it to flow from you freely in a positive way for it to return.

Now you may look at all this and think, yes I would like to contribute, but I can’t afford it. These words are like poison. Do whatever you can to eradicate them from your vocabulary. Here’s how you can afford it:

You have a basic level of income that you need to just get by. You need to pay rent or mortgage, you need to pay the house bills, you need food on the table. Everything beyond that is really extra. You would not let your income drop below this basic level because you need a roof over your head and food on the table. Calculate your basic level of income, and add 10%.

It’s this simple: this is your new basic level of income. This is a new non-negotiable in your life. If your income currently does not cover this, than you need to make it your priority to raise your income to this new level at least. If you make charity and donation an absolute must in your life you will find a way, and before you know it more and more ways will come to you as you become more open to new opportunities.

If you don’t know what organization to start with, you can use my personal favourite: Kiva. Kiva connects people with entrepreneurs in developing countries that are looking for microloans to help build or expand their business. You can loan very small amounts and choose which entrepreneur to support. When your loan is returned take that money and loan it to someone else. It’s great to help not just individuals, but developing economies. I love that I’m helping to keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive all around the globe…and not just online :)

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