10 nuggets of happiness, just for fundraisers
File under: Wisdom you'll return to often. (Daily?)
IMPOSTER SYNDROME? "Not today, Satan."
Therapy Now!
Fundraising is one of the toughest (and sometimes thankless) jobs on the planet. Take care of yourself.
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The following commentary was written by John Lepp.
It's excerpted from the last chapter of his new book, Creative Deviations.
Recently I read an article about self-help advice as it relates to individuals. A life coach had curated what she believed to be the top 10 nuggets of happiness from over 500 books.
While reading her list, it struck me that many of the best nuggets also relate to ourselves and the [nonprofit] organizations we work with every day.
1. Be yourself. The key to organizational happiness is to be yourself. Do you know who you are? I’ve never met a charity who said that the work they do is simple. Every organization is complicated: a mess of programs, personalities, missions, visions, silos. What is the unique reason a donor should support you? It will be a simple expression of why you exist. Simplify how you express what you are trying to fix, help, change. Be yourself for all of your ugly cries, weak moments and passion. We need more of those.
2. You have nothing to prove. This isn’t exactly true. You do have to prove to your donors that your work is worthy of their support and that their support matters, realizing that pleasing all donors is impossible. You really are only going to be relevant to 20% of all donors (however you want to define “all”). Be positive in your interactions with them. You aren’t begging for help. What you’re doing at this moment is enough but more can always be done with help and support.
3. You can’t control anyone. You can’t control your donors. I’m sorry. You can’t make them give to your appeal. You can’t make them give to you online. So, stop trying. Take advantage of the channels and the technology to share the amazing work your donors make possible. Remind them why they are so important to your cause. Have conversations with them. Be human. You do YOU. They will do the rest.
4. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Everyone is so freakin’ serious! So professional. So conservative. Lighten up! We are doing important work! How lucky are we? We are helping this world for ourselves and for our children. Be angry. Be happy. Be funny. Be frustrated. Celebrate. Cry. Sigh. Be serious. But not all the time. When you allow yourself to be not so serious, amazing (like truly transformative) things can happen.
5. You’re doing great. When was the last time you took a moment to celebrate the little successes? If you are at your desk or out in the field and working hard, being thoughtful, going to conferences and reading blogs – you ARE trying and you ARE definitely getting better. More importantly, you’re already doing more than many others. Keep going! Keep asking why! Thank you for the GREAT work that you do.
Then come a further five nuggets of happiness (#6-#10), adapted for fundraisers by John Lepp, in his new, once-in-an-industry book, Creative Deviations.
If you want to take full comfort in what all John Lepp's 10 nuggets of happiness advise, get your hands on his new book ASAP.
Photo below: Me reading John's final 5 "nuggets of happiness."
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