When I was growing up, my Dad had a reputation for being cheap. This was despite footing the bill for every family vacation, paying for his kids’ education, and providing for everyone's needs.

Whenever it came time for him to open his wallet, he agonized over parting with dollars. He’d grown up poor, and I think he always had a little bit of that with him, even when he was successful in his career.

At his funeral, everyone who came to the podium spoke about my Dad’s generosity.

Yes, he supported various causes financially, but the speakers that day spoke of his generosity of attention, time, energy, and emotional connection.

Is this what it means to be generous?How did this align with someone who would groan and whose eyes would bug out looking at pretty much any bill?

I started thinking about all of this after our most recent Stimulus episode when I asked Barry Kerzin about guilt that can be associated with abundance. “Having abundance isn’t necessarily good or bad; it’s how we relate to it. The most effective way to approach abundance is through generosity.”

Didn’t expect that!

Generosity is a pillar of joy

In the Book of Joy, Bishop Desmond Tutu and His Holiness The Dalai Lama identify eight pillars of joy: perspective, humility, humor, acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude, compassion, and generosity.

There it is, one of the pillars of a joyous life!

But it begs the question, what is generosity? It has many faces – time, resources, attention, kindness, and compassion.

What strikes me about the above list is that the bulk of generosity is free of charge. Aww, Dad, you were winning across the board!

The science behind generosity and happiness

People who spend money on others report greater happiness than those who spend money on themselves. The research highlights the positive emotional benefits of generosity and prosocial spending. [1]

Giving to others, even with self-interest, enhances overall well-being. [2]

Those who volunteer tend to experience improved physical health, such as lower rates of hypertension and enhanced mental health, including reduced symptoms of depression and higher levels of life satisfaction. [3]

Helping others improves mental and emotional health, contributing to greater life satisfaction and happiness. [4]

Something I often (as in daily) hear from physicians is, “What am I actually doing? I don’t really help anybody.” Oof. Almost everyone went into medicine, at least partly, wanting to be of service to others.

Detachment and cynicism are not only cardinal signs of burnout; they can also be causes. There is a big-time chicken and egg situation going on here.
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When generosity diminishes, we can feel a little crusty or burnt

The original purpose of going into medicine can seem a distant echo when you are getting hammered by volume, incivility, administrative nonsense, and on and on.

A study published in BMJ Open found that intrinsic motivators such as a sense of calling and personally rewarding hours per day were significantly associated with reduced physician burnout and increased job satisfaction. [5]

This suggests that a generous mindset, which aligns with intrinsic motivation, can mitigate burnout by enhancing emotional resilience and professional fulfillment.

Generosity isn’t the only key to joy (in life and work), nor is it the only antidote to burnout, but it’s one of them.

Keep on rocking,

Robbie O

P.S. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this article—just hit reply, and your message will go straight to my inbox.

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References

1. Dunn, E. W., Aknin, L. B., & Norton, M. I. (2008). "Spending Money on Others Promotes Happiness." Science, 319(5870), 1687-1688. "People who spend money on others report greater happiness compared to those who spend money on themselves."
2. Anik, L., Aknin, L. B., Norton, M. I., & Dunn, E. W. (2009). "Feeling Good about Giving: The Benefits (and Costs) of Self-Interested Charitable Behavior." Harvard Business School Working Paper. "Giving to others, even when self-interested, enhances overall well-being."
3. Piliavin, J. A., & Siegl, E. (2007). "Health benefits of volunteering in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study." Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 48(4), 450-464. "Volunteering is linked to better physical and mental health outcomes."
4. Hui BPH, Ng JCK, Berzaghi E, Cunningham-Amos LA, Kogan A. Rewards of kindness? A meta-analysis of the link between prosociality and well-being. Psychological Bulletin. 2020;146(12):1084-1116.
5. Tung YC, Chou YY, Chang YH, Chung KP. Association of intrinsic and extrinsic motivating factors with physician burnout and job satisfaction: a nationwide cross-sectional survey in Taiwan. BMJ Open. 2020;10(3)