Morning Mindset Cafe is about sharing a success principle or quote and what it looks like in real life. Drink your coffee or tea, listen to the short episode, then think on it a bit and look for ways that you can put it to use in your life. Join the GROW Alliance Facebook group to meet others and share your thoughts about each episode.

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Today's mindset thought for the day

Money is either a good or bad influence, according to the character of the person who possesses it.

It’s true. Money has no character, no personality, no values. Its actions only reflect the desires of its owner. Money can build great hospitals and schools, or it can be gambled away or squandered on meaningless possessions. Money may build museums to house beautiful works of art, it may construct beautiful houses of worship — or it may be used to create instruments of war and destruction.

As you build your personal wealth, make sure you build your character by setting aside a portion of your income to help others. Choose a church, a charity, or a cause that you can enthusiastically support. Then give of your money and your time in support of that cause. The primary beneficiary of such noble actions is always the one who gives, not the one who receives. ~ Napoleon Hill

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I always viewed money as a magnifying glass - when it accumulates it magnifies the character of whoever is receiving it.

There are a lot of very nice, very kind, very generous wealthy people in this world. I know a few of them. It's not their wealth that makes them nice, kind, and generous. It is their character. They are the ones who make sure our libraries stay open, our public television programs are produced, our children's hospitals are operating, our missions and shelters are open, and more. The last sentence - "the primary beneficiary ... is the one who gives..." says, to me, that this is the reason for their kind and generous character. They know the value of giving.

There are those who are selfish, greedy, and mean and I am happy to say that I don't know them. I've met a few and had no interest in spending time with them for they had nothing to offer me. I've watched some as they gathered their riches and I am not interested in associating with them - they have nothing of value that I want.

There are two causes that get my money, and one that also gets my attention and time. The first is local - Center for Lay Ministries offers a food pantry, emergency needs assistance, and alcohol/drug rehabilitation for women. They get my money, when asked - my time is spent with the women to teach them life skills, and in the winter my husband hunts deer and will donate 2 fully processed deer to the halfway house which almost fills their freezer.
The second is kiva.org and RedBasket.org. On Kiva I select either education or manufacturing. And, with Red Basket I do a random selection of 1 per month and donate from my 'giving allowance'.

If you are thinking that you want to give and that you only have a few dollars, I recommend that you go to either kiva.org or redbasket.org. Crowdfunding is tremendously effective and your few dollars + my few dollars + someone else's few dollars helps someone.
Now I must get back to my own wealth building activities and keep watch on my character.