Explore every episode of the podcast Giving Is A Skill
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Here’s To The Crazy Ones (A Farewell For Now) | 04 Jun 2024 | 00:22:24 | |
Over the last two years, I’ve released 110 episodes of this podcast. It’s been an amazing journey, and the time has come for me to take a little break in order to fulfill on the giving work I am committed to. This week, I fill you in on what’s next in my personal giving, and share why being called crazy is a label every giver should aspire for. | |||
| Addition Through Subtraction | 28 May 2024 | 00:02:15 | |
Our development-centric culture seems to reward addition over everything else. Subtraction is usually not seen as the star of progression, especially when it comes to making progress in our lives. This week, learn why we should start seeing the minus sign as the key to unlocking our giving potential. Hidden Brain Episode, “Do Less:“ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?i=1000656907220 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3X9vGUAXXfcG5vx51J1gJP?si=c63c76cbe0204a19 | |||
| The Problem with Moral Individualism (Revisited) | 21 May 2024 | 00:14:56 | |
Individualism seems to be everywhere. It’s in the movies we watch, the news we read, and the music we listen to. But just because it is everywhere, doesn’t mean it is useful. This week, find out why, ironically, getting outside yourself is the surest way to be individually successful in life and giving. | |||
| Voluntary Inconvenience | 14 May 2024 | 00:09:39 | |
Inconvenience is often something we avoid. In fact, the amount of energy we spend avoiding it seems, in some respects, counterproductive. This week, learn why we should sometimes choose to voluntarily inconvenience ourselves, especially when it comes to freeing up resources for our giving. | |||
| The Power of Commitment | 07 May 2024 | 00:09:54 | |
Commitment is a principle often talked about but rarely practiced. It seems that our default behavior is to do everything except what is truly necessary. This week, discover how true commitment—or simply doing what is necessary—can take your giving to the next level. | |||
| What It Means To Be Human | 30 Apr 2024 | 00:02:35 | |
It’s easy to get so wrapped up in our own human experiences that we forget what it’s like for those around us. This week, learn what it means to be human through the documentary 'Human Volume 1.’ | |||
| Don’t Be an Ostrich (Revisited) | 23 Apr 2024 | 00:18:16 | |
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the inequities in this world. Between almost continuous reports of natural disasters, the ever-present echoes of war, and political upheaval abroad, and at home, one can feel like the only way to deal with all the noise is to simply find the nearest sandhill and shove their head in it. This week, learn how to gradually level up your giving skills so you can be a force against the many challenges we are facing. | |||
| The Messy Middle (ft. Austin Heath) | 16 Apr 2024 | 00:33:45 | |
The messy middle is where a lot of us find ourselves, especially when it comes to giving. We have an inkling of an idea to give back, but for one reason or another we can’t get all the pieces to fit together just right. Although necessary to creating good in the world, it’s all to easy to get stuck within continuous ideation. This week, learn from the experience of a fellow messy middler, Austin Heath. | |||
| The Power of Discontentment | 09 Apr 2024 | 00:18:10 | |
Discontentment is often viewed negatively in our society, with the natural response being to avoid it if possible, and to quickly rebound if not. But what if we chose to dwell in this dissatisfaction and approached it with curiosity? This week, learn how embracing the power of discontent can serve as a catalyst for enhancing the way you give. | |||
| To Be Incarcerated (ft. Portia Louder) | 02 Apr 2024 | 00:34:11 | |
Prison is one of those places about which most of us know very little. As such, it's easy for stereotypes and misunderstandings to color our perceptions of those who find themselves incarcerated. This week, learn how to push back against this way of thinking through the raw story of Portia Louder. | |||
| 100 Episodes Later - 10 Things I’ve Learned About Giving (ft. Conner Simmons) | 25 Mar 2024 | 00:40:23 | |
It’s hard to believe that this is episode 100 of the Giving is a Skill Podcast! To celebrate, I’m diving deep into the podcast archives to share the 10 things I’ve learned about the skill set of giving since starting this podcast!
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| Voluntary Simplicity | 19 Mar 2024 | 00:15:41 | |
For many of us, luck is often a casual conversation topic revolving around four-leaf clovers and leprechauns. Rarely does it inspire us to change our behavior, because, after all, luck is seen as mere chance. But have you ever considered what your life would be like without the luck you currently enjoy? This week, learn how you can leverage the success attributed to your luck to give back to those around you through voluntary simplicity. | |||
| When Intentions Aren’t Enough (ft. Aaron Miller) | 12 Mar 2024 | 00:36:40 | |
Intention is often the main criterion we use to gauge our impact as individual philanthropists. The common belief is, "If our hearts are in the right place, that's all that matters." But, is that truly the case? Should the goodwill of our hearts be the sole measure of the positive change we bring into the world? This week, join us as we explore a more effective approach to achieving impact through intention with Aaron Miller. How to Help Podcast: https://how-to-help.com/podcast/ How to Help Blog: https://how-to-help.com/blog/ Against Empathy: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/against-empathy-paul-bloom?variant=32122194853922 The War for Kindness: https://www.warforkindness.com The Ballard Brief: ballardbrief.org | |||
| The Giving Order of Operations | 05 Mar 2024 | 00:10:44 | |
We typically think of math when the phrase 'order of operations' is used. But what would happen if we applied this sequential focus approach to giving? This week, learn how to follow the Giving Order of Operations: Need, Intervention, and Giver. | |||
| A Giver’s Journey Pt. 2 (ft. Lauren Lund) | 27 Feb 2024 | 00:34:54 | |
Journeys are made up of thousands of individual steps. It’s not every day that you get the chance to learn, in real-time, from the individual steps of another. This week, get the chance to do just that as Lauren Lund joins us to check in on her as-lived giving journey. | |||
| How to Save a Life | 20 Feb 2024 | 00:11:55 | |
There is a pervasive belief that you have to be rich in order to be involved in lifesaving giving. It’s pervasive because it is simply not true. In fact, for less than the cost of an In-and-Out hamburger, you could literally save the life of another human being. This week, learn how you can donate effectively by utilizing the research services of organizations such as GiveWell. | |||
| The Outsized Impact of Individual Donors | 06 Feb 2024 | 00:15:25 | |
If you’ve ever thought that your money doesn’t matter in giving, you’re not alone. It can be easy to view your individual contribution as insignificant when compared to the major issues of this world like hunger, poverty, and disease. Your not alone though, and when you take your money and combine it with all the other givers out in the world, the opportunity is astonishing. This week, learn how to increase the impact of your dollars on Giving is a Skill. Start of Giving Exercise: 8:00 2021 USA Giving Report: https://givingusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/GivingUSA2022_Infographic.pdf Additional Giving Statistics: https://today.yougov.com/society/articles/43435-half-americans-donate-money-charity-past-year-poll | |||
| How the Utah Jazz Bear Became the Mascot for Charities (ft. Jon Absey and Andy Chudd) | 30 Jan 2024 | 00:31:54 | |
Mascots are a lot of things, but before 1994 they weren’t often thought of when it came to charity work. That all changed when Jon Absey and Andy Chudd struck up an unlikely partnership that led to the Jazz Bear becoming the Mascot for Charities. This week, meet the man behind the bear and learn why you don’t have to be famous to get started. | |||
| Miracle Tim (ft. Caroline Hilton) | 23 Jan 2024 | 00:23:07 | |
The kindness of strangers is something many of us have vivid experiences with. Whether it is the surprise paid meal, an unexpected gift, or a kind compassionate compliment, these often unanimous heroes make all of our worlds a little brighter. This week, listen to a recent experience Caroline Hilton and I had with one of these kind strangers and the lessons we learned from our time with Miracle Tim. | |||
| A Giver’s Journey Pt. 1 (ft. Lauren Lund) | 16 Jan 2024 | 00:28:17 | |
Just like journeys on the road or into the mountains, giving journeys are much more enjoyable with company. There is something inherently bonding and motivating about this companionship, which is why we are introducing a new segment to the podcast where we get to walk a few miles in the shoes of other givers. This week, learn about overcoming the overwhelm that can come into our lives when we give with our good friend Lauren Lund. | |||
| Our Impact (2024) | 09 Jan 2024 | 00:33:45 | |
Unfortunately, impact is talked about much more than it is actioned on. Too many of us waste our energy and resources dreaming about a better world while a select few are actually putting in the work. At GrassRoots Giving, it is our mission to flip this trend on its head. In this episode, learn about the impact we, as a team, intend to have in 2024 and what we are doing to quantify what happens. | |||
| Clumsy Beginnings (Ft. Conner Simmons) | 02 Jan 2024 | 00:58:13 | |
Giving is a Skill is evolving and one of the main catalysts behind this evolution is a good friend of mine, Conner Simmons. Conner and I met in high school and after a few years a part, we are joining forces to refocus and revamp this show into something greater. This week, get to know Conner personally and begin to see the future of Giving is a Skill. | |||
| Start Small, Grow Tall (Revisited) | 26 Dec 2023 | 00:14:49 | |
With New Year's just around the corner, it can be tempting to spend the next week or so planning ambitious giving goals for 2023. Maybe you feel called to help alleviate poverty in South America, support homeless veterans in Miami, or stop the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. Whatever the cause, before you get too far down the giving daydream, remember these four words: "start small, grow tall." This week, learn how this simple phrase can help you make a lasting impact during the upcoming new year. | |||
| Santa Claus: The World’s First Philanthropist (Revisited) | 19 Dec 2023 | 00:10:54 | |
Almost every Christmas tradition is rooted in some act of generosity. You can see this in the decorated trees, carolers on doorsteps, and in the character of jolly old St. Nicholas. This week, learn the philanthropy origin story of the rosy-cheeked man with the red suit and sleigh. | |||
| Finding True Meaning In Family Gatherings This Christmas | 12 Dec 2023 | 00:14:47 | |
With Christmas just 13 days away, the pressure is ramping up to finalize Christmas plans and presents. With so much to do, it can be easy to forget why we celebrate Christmas in the first place, especially when it comes to family gatherings. This week, learn how to stir your family get-togethers towards the true meaning of Christmas, regardless of your religious beliefs. Am I the Dead Sea or Galilee - https://www.ukbiblestudents.co.uk/oct/poem292.htm
Red Light Green Light - https://volunteer.unitedwayuc.org/need/detail/?need_id=864388 Letters to the Lonely - https://loveforourelders.org/letters | |||
| What To Do Instead of the 12 Days of Christmas (Revisited) | 05 Dec 2023 | 00:21:30 | |
What if you could stretch The 12 Days of Christmas across the entire year, and instead of giving just once a year, you established a tradition of year-round giving? It is possible, but only if we think of the Christmas season as a headstart to our giving instead of the year’s finale. This week, discover an approach to Christmas that can truly make charity of the season last all year long. | |||
| Giving Tuesday | 28 Nov 2023 | 00:08:26 | |
Today is #GivingTuesday! So if you’re sick of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, now is the perfect time to focus on be looking outside ourselves and giving. This week, we’re shining the spotlight on the movement of GivingTuesday, a global movement that inspires people to give back to their communities. We’ll explore the history of the organization, its impact, and how we can ride the momentum of this movement to maximize our giving efforts. | |||
| Family Giving Pt. 2: Creating a Culture of Giving | 21 Nov 2023 | 00:12:41 | |
Just in time for Thanksgiving comes part 2 of our mini-series on family giving. In this week’s episode, we’ll discuss the benefits of consciously implementing a consistent giving culture within our families and discuss how you can get started if you’re family feels a little weak in this area. | |||
| Family Giving Pt. 1: Start at Home | 14 Nov 2023 | 00:13:55 | |
Giving within our families can be challenging. Expectations, complex history, and cultural norms often make serving those we love seem impossible. With so much at stake, the thought of opening the giving can of worms might seem daunting. This week, discover why giving in the home can be the perfect starting point for one's giving journey. | |||
| Reachable Giving: Make-A-Wish Utah (ft. Caroline Hilton and Lindsey Sampson) | 07 Nov 2023 | 00:28:54 | |
What would Halloween look like if it had a little more purpose? Find out what we discovered with the help of two members of the GrassRoots community, Caroline Hilton and Lindsey Sampson. | |||
| The Free Throws of Giving | 31 Oct 2023 | 00:25:34 | |
We don't think about it very often, but everything we do requires skill. Actions as simple as drinking from a glass or quickly sending a text have been learned through years of study, observation, and practice. Giving is no different. While the desire to give is inherently human, the skill is not. This week, learn how to build a giving skill set. | |||
| Growing GrassRoots Giving | 24 Oct 2023 | 01:10:51 | |
A few months ago I got the chance to tell my story to Darrel Hammon, a reporter from the Provo Daily Harold. The space he created for me was transformative and brought out key insights that I had never considered before we sat down to talk. This week, hear the story of this podcast and GrassRoots Giving as Darrel takes the interview seat in my basement. Link to Darrel’s Article: https://www.heraldextra.com/news/community/2023/oct/22/making-a-difference-to-grant-collins-grassroots-giving-is-a-gift-itself/ | |||
| Some Thoughts on Israel and Gaza | 17 Oct 2023 | 00:12:46 | |
There are some really hard things going on in the world right now. It can be so easy to turn the page and not think about them, but this is a mistake. It’s a mistake first of all because the people who are suffering deserve at the very least our acknowledgement of their hardship, and second of all it’s a mistake because wrestling with complexity is a key skill to becoming an impactful giver. This week, listen to a raw unfiltered episode where I share some thoughts about the current tragedy unfolding in Israel and Gaza. | |||
| A Special Surprise | 10 Oct 2023 | 00:06:54 | |
It wouldn’t be a surprise if we told you what it was in the description! Tune in for an exciting update to Basement Philanthropy! | |||
| Compassion Fatigue | 03 Oct 2023 | 00:18:14 | |
We don't often discuss it, but there is a duality to giving. On one hand, it can be a wonderful and fulfilling experience, while on the other, it can be the cause of a medically diagnosed condition known as Compassion Fatigue. In this episode, discover what Compassion Fatigue is and learn how to remedy and prevent it from affecting your personal giving. | |||
| The Exponential Potential of Giving | 26 Sep 2023 | 00:16:40 | |
It’s easy to see how money investments can become exponential, but what about giving? Although different, giving and investing operate according to similar principles especially when it comes to exponential gain or impact. This week, learn why consistency is key to exponential results in both monetary investing and personal giving. | |||
| Find Healing Through Giving | 19 Sep 2023 | 00:15:00 | |
When we think of the relationship between the ideas of giving and healing, the obvious connection most come to is that giving is an effective way to provide help and healing to the recipient who is in need. But giving back and focusing on others can be a powerful way to heal ourselves as well. This week, find out how giving can empower us in the healing we all need at some point. | |||
| The Problem with Moral Individualism | 12 Sep 2023 | 00:14:27 | |
Individualism seems to be everywhere. It’s in the movies we watch, the news we read, and the music we listen to. But just because it is everywhere, doesn’t mean it is useful. This week, find out why, ironically, getting outside yourself is the surest way to be individually successful in life and giving. | |||
| Don’t be an Ostrich | 05 Sep 2023 | 00:18:20 | |
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the inequities in this world. Between almost continuous reports of natural disasters, the ever-present echoes of war, and political upheaval abroad, and at home, one can feel like the only way to deal with all the noise is to simply find the nearest sandhill and shove their head in it. This week, learn how to gradually level up your giving skills so you can be a force against the many challenges we are facing. | |||
| Stop Outsourcing Your Philanthropy (Revisited) | 29 Aug 2023 | 00:16:26 | |
Today is a day of outsourcing. We outsource everything: our cooking, driving, shopping, and yes our philanthropy. Although outsourcing your giving is more time effective, it robs you of experience. Experience that makes you happier, healthier, and an overall better human. This week, learn how to start diversifying your philanthropy with giving that is up close and personal. | |||
| The Kindness Study | 22 Aug 2023 | 00:16:36 | |
Kindness isn’t always about doing something big or grand. It’s also about small, everyday acts that can make a big difference in someone’s life. It’s contagious; one kind act can inspire more kindness from—and toward—yourself, as well as encourage kindness in others. This week, I’ll report on my experience participating in the 7-day kindness study and share my results. | |||
| Kindness is Not Cliché | 15 Aug 2023 | 00:17:04 | |
Kindness can build trust and rapport, it can create a sense of belonging and community, and it can inspire others to be kind, bringing its effects full circle. But despite the benefits, the “cliché” of kindness makes it often overlooked as a powerful tool for giving. When we are kind to others, we not only make them feel good, but we also open up the door to deeper connection and more meaningful giving. This week, we explore the impact of kindness on giving and how it deepens the impact on both the giver and the receiver. | |||
| Bridging The Giving Gap | 08 Aug 2023 | 00:22:21 | |
In every giving situation we encounter, there is a gap that needs to be crossed. This gap can be physical, contextual, or demographic in nature, but it is always present. In order to create real impact, we need to find a way to bridge this gap. This week, learn how to join those we want to help where they are instead of attempting to help from a distance. | |||
| The Exponential Power of Invitations | 01 Aug 2023 | 00:14:16 | |
Invitations are pretty underrated when it comes to increasing our personal impact. Too often we turn first to creating a complex plan, when all it really takes is a text message, phone call, or personal invite. This week, discover how you can be a part of creating exponential good in the world through the simple power of invitations. | |||
| If I Were a TED Talk… | 25 Jul 2023 | 00:14:46 | |
We all feel motivated to give or donate to improve our communities in one way or another. However, many opportunities are missed by lack of giving experience. In this inspiring talk, philanthropy enthusiast Grant Collins outlines the concept of giving as a skill set, and discusses how a change of mindset about giving can change your life, and the lives of those around you, ultimately making the world a better place. | |||
| The First Step to Giving (ft. Amber Larsen) | 18 Jul 2023 | 00:27:21 | |
First steps are often the hardest. They’re shaky, awkward, and most of the time the experience ends with some kind of fall. Giving is no different, but similar to walking once we get the hang of it an entire new world is opened. This week, I am joined at the desk by Amber Larson, the producer of this podcast and a giver who is just starting to take her first steps. | |||
| Painting a Safer Community | 11 Jul 2023 | 00:01:57 | |
After seeing how many curbs were faded and chipped, our community came together to make our local elementary schools safer by painting some curbs red along some busy roads. With some tape, paint, and 60+ volunteers, we painted 2 schools in 2 hours. This week, watch how we did it by following the link below: | |||
| The Freedom to Give | 04 Jul 2023 | 00:13:12 | |
The United States has one of the highest rates of charitable giving and we have the founding fathers to thank for that. The founding documents of our country helped pave the way for giving that we enjoy as a nation today. This week, celebrate the founding of our country with a little giving. | |||
| Your Life is The Truman Show | 27 Jun 2023 | 00:10:45 | |
Like it or not, much of our lives is like The Truman Show. Living in a false reality, we tend to view our own lives in ways that are simply not accurate, and it would be bad enough if this just affected our lives. Unfortunately, the impact radius of this thinking encompasses those surrounding us, especially those in need. This week, learn how to see giving in a more accurate and realistic way. | |||
| Ego: The Enemy of Giving | 20 Jun 2023 | 00:13:30 | |
If there was a supervillain of giving, it would be ego. It seems to always be there, lurking in the shadows of our altruistic efforts, making potentially selfless acts all about us. While it is unlikely that we will be able to get rid of ego, there are ways that we can begin to chip away at its impact. This week, learn how to use giving as the antidote to our ego-addicted society. Ego is the Enemy: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27036528-ego-is-the-enemy ______________________________________________________ | |||