Generosity

Author: David Schepkowski - Published: 17.06.2025

Generosity means giving more than expected. You'll explore how to make generosity a natural part of your everyday life through small gestures, regular habits, or bold commitments. We’ll also take a closer look at generosity with ADHD and in playful, game-related contexts.


THE BASICS

What is Generosity?

Generosity is the willingness to spent or share resources - time, money, attention, knowledge - beyond what is expected or required, and often without the desire for recognition or reward.


How does Generosity look like?

Generosity can take many forms in daily life:

  • Offering your meal to someone even though you're hungry yourself
  • Giving a generous tip to someone who provided good service
  • Spending time after work helping a new colleague adjust

While Generosity and Helpfulness are closely related, we distinguish them here for practical purposes: Helpfulness is more action- and outcome-oriented while Generosity more resource- and intention-oriented.  Often, an act of generosity, like giving your time, can also be considered an act of helpfulness.


Why value Generosity?

As with helpfulness, Generosity doesn't just benefit the receiver. It can also:

  • Deepen your connection with others and your community
  • Reinforce your sense of purpose and abundance
  • Reduce attachment and foster a healthier relationship to material or internal resources

Things to keep in mind with Generosity

Generosity is often judged in relation to how much a person has versus how much they give. A wealthy person offering a modest gift may be seen as less generous than someone with little who still manages to give. While it’s easy to judge these differences, it's important to remember: we are not entitled to anyone else's resources. That’s why Appreciation is part of the same value group (The Saint) as it completes the picture of not only giving freely, but also receiving graciously, without expectation.

 

When Generosity goes too far

Giving beyond your means might be considered commendable, but quickly becomes unsustainable. Our resources are limited, especially our time and energy. If you give more than you can afford, you risk wastefulness, frustration and becoming dependent on generosity yourself. Give from a place of strength and surplus, not sacrifice and scarcity.


Reflective questions about Generosity

  • Which resources do I have that I’d be genuinely comfortable sharing?
  • Do my generous acts come with unspoken expectations?
  • Have I ever been taken advantage of because of my generosity?

Living up to your value of Generosity

Below are three levels of implementation to make Generosity a part of your everyday life based on ease and resource investment.

LEVEL 1

  • Organ Donation: Register as an organ donor and carry your card with you.
  • Charity: Set up a small recurring donation to a cause you care about.
  • Spending Spree: Give away things you no longer use, shower someone with sincere compliments, write a thoughtful testimonial or recommendation.

LEVEL 2

  • Blood & Plasma: Sign up for local blood drives or become a stem cell donor.
  • Generous Math: Whenever you tip, thank or compliment, challenge yourself to double it or make it count more in other ways.
  • Habitual: Dedicate a small, but regular portion of your week to generous acts, such as volunteering, mentoring or listening to someone.

LEVEL 3

  • Career Alignment: Become a spokesperson or work for a charity or found your own initiative.
  • Empower: Share your knowledge, networks, or tools with others seeking to grow.
  • High Impact: Support a project you believe in with your expertise, funds or equipment.

Generosity and ADHD

For people with ADHD, being generous can sometimes be very impulsive. Reducing it to an all-or-nothing-decision makes it easier for a dopamine starved brain. Especially if it competes with impulsive spending (of emotions, time or money) on conversation, projects or hobbies that lead nowhere. That's why mindful generosity is essential with attention deficiency: give more attention to what you give your attention to.


Generosity and Games

This is less about Generosity IN games, and more about Generosity WITH games: Do you have unused game keys or DVD's? Declutter your (virtual) space and gift them! Are you part of a gaming community? Offer your time to help someone clear the next dungeon/rank/achievement! You and your friends want to try out a new game? Step up as the rule explainer or game master, and don't forget to be generous with magic items and XP!

Where you could go next

  • Value: Frugality (tbd)
  • Question 3: WHAT can you make use of?