It's that time of the year where CPAs and accountants will sit with their clients, entrepreneurs,
and tell them, "Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Entrepreneur, you should consider giving some money back
to charity because it benefits you when it comes down to taxes."
So as much as you do want to give back to charity because it benefits you tax-wise,
depending on the country you live in, today I want to talk to you about why you should
consider giving back to the community as an entrepreneur and how to give back to the community.
So if you're wondering where I'm at right now, in the background, I'm at Bakersfield
airport, with Mario.
It is truly one of the smallest airports, Bakersfield, great city.
My buddy back here in a paper plane kid, and we had to shoot a video because tomorrow is
a video that's due.
So let me get right into it.
Listen, there's two ways you give back to the community.
One is money, one is your time.
So why should you consider giving back to the community?
There's really five points, and very simple points on why you should consider giving back
to the community.
#1:
The most important one in my opinion is law of reciprocity.
Let me tell you what's the law of reciprocity.
I truly believe the more I give, the more I get in return.
Not an expectation, I just feel good things happen to me, the more I give.
I'm a big believer in the law of reciprocity.
I don't know how I'm going to get this thing in return.
Maybe someday someone's going to do something for my son, my daughter, my family, somebody
close to me that is going to benefit me, but I believe in the law of reciprocity.
#2
The second benefit that every time I participate in any kind of way of giving back to the community
is I build so many new relationships.
It's very weird.
We were just in Hawaii doing something with Foresters, and we were building a school,
and we were painting some walls.
And I was giving the color pink.
I'm painting this chair pink.
It was hilarious.
And we made such incredible relationships with people that we still communicate with
online.
But it doesn't matter what it is.
Every single time I've given back to any kind of charity, there's always been an opportunity
to build new relationships.
#3
The other part when you give back to charity is you'll learn a new skill set.
You learn something new, when you're giving back.
There's something that you're learning, whether that charity, whatever they stand for, you're
learning something about the charity or learning something that you can benefit yourself.
Maybe they're telling you, "Hey, what we do is we help families test for this."
So now you learn about that new skill set.
#4
The fourth one I will tell you would be your heart.
Like your heart gets, I don't know how to explain this to you.
Your heart goes in the mode of giving back, so it almost becomes gentler, and it gets
in the mood of understanding everybody else's position in a different way, when you do give
back, and you're around other people that want to give back.
So it influences you.
If you're somebody that's extremely strong and rigid, with a military background, charity
would do very good things to you.
#5
And fifth point, simple.
Self Esteem.
You feel like you're making a difference.
It keeps you grounded.
You feel like the world needs you.
You feel like you are needed in a way.
You realize how incredible of a life you have as an entrepreneur.
Do give back.
So, you know, those five things alone, outside of the tax benefit, I highly recommend why
you ought to consider giving back.
Now, the question that a lot of people ask is, "Pat, how do I give back?
What do I do?"
I got, how many points do I have here, Mario?
I think I wrote 11 points here on how to give back, and you can pick and choose on how to
do them.
So, the first one, we were having a conversation earlier today at this restaurant.
And I ate some plantains.
The plantains were amazing at this place.
It was amazing.
We had a great time there.
But one of the guys asked me a question, Alejandro asked me a question and he said, "Hey, what
do you do when your family starts asking you for all this money, and they want to borrow
money and all this other stuff?"
I said, "I don't believe in lending money to people, especially friends and family."
Because I believe it's the fastest way to create an enemy.
He said, "What do you mean by that?"
I said, because if you lend money, and you say yes, they love you, but it's guaranteed
that they're most likely going to come back and later on ask for what?
More money.
And at some point you have to say what?
No.
So if you give money from yourself to somebody else, your family's not going to be happy
that you give money to somebody else, possibly, if they're lending money.
And then two, if you do loan money to friends and family, you will typically see them avoiding
you at the next family gathering, and you feel uncomfortable because you look like you're
a bill collector, and they kind of don't like you.
It's just not a fun game to lend money.
So I like to give money.
Let me explain to you what I mean by this.
So if somebody asks me, "Pat, can you lend me $5,000?"
I'll generally say, "No, I won't lend you $5,000, but I'll give you $300.
You don't ever have to give it back."
So, they don't like me, they don't hate me.
It's a very neutral position, but I gave some money back, and I'm good to go.
Why?
Because I'm not in the game - I don't think the biggest benefit is just money being given
away, although money you need to give away, because some organizations need money to do
their work that they do.
#1
This is why my #1 point on how to give back is to teach a new skill set.
Teach a new skill set.
Go help somebody and give back to your community by teaching something you're very, very good
at.
Teach somebody else how to do it.
What could that be?
I don't know.
How to get ready for a job interview.
Go and teach people how to be prepared for a job interview.
Go and sit down with 50 people and tell them, I'm going to interview you, and you're going
to know exactly what types of questions you're going to ask, and I'm going to prepare you
on how to ask those questions.
Great.
Give back by teaching people how to put a resume together.
Give back by sitting down and teaching how to sell something.
Give back by teaching some kind of new skill set that you have.
Social media, whatever it is.
But give back to your community by teaching something you know.
It could be music.
It could be piano.
It could be guitar.
It doesn't matter.
Free lessons for soccer for kids.
It doesn't matter.
Somehow, some way, give back and teach a new skill set, because that lasts.
I think skill set lasts and it generates and gives them freedom.
So #1 is skill set.
#2
Number two is volunteer your time at a hospital or school.
It's a very easy thing to do.
Any time you go to a school and you're giving back, whether it's Big Brother or you know,
somebody that needs some kind of help.
I've done many, many things with school, where I was hired to go and, not hired, I didn't
ask for the money.
It was a LAUSD.
I went and spoke to the troubled kids that had the anklets and they were in prison.
They did time, or they were 13-year-old girls that were pregnant.
Or drug dealers and they put me through a six month program that I would come down every
other week, and I would take these kids and we would talk about the biggest thing they
struggled with.
And they would tell me how much they struggle with pornography or pressure of having sex,
or drugs, or joining gangs, or fights, or arguments with parents, or what do I do when
my mom and dad, my mom's on drugs, my dad's on drugs, my parents aren't there, I'm living
on the streets, I'm this, I'm that.
All this stuff.
And it was one way for them to know that somebody out there at least cares about them.
The reason why that's very important is because when I was 13 years old, and my parents got
a divorce, and I was a troubled kid, I was recruited by a basketball league in Echo Park
called New Century Basketball association.
And they got together all the troubled kids and gangsters and all this other stuff.
And we played basketball together.
So that made a very big impact in my life to know an older man named Vladimir, not an
older man at that time, he was 20 years older than me.
Vladimir was like an older brother to me.
And he gave me direction and hope to know that somebody believed in me.
That played a very big role in my life.
So you don't even know who you're going to be making an impact in their life.
And one of the simplest ways is hospitals and schools.
#3
Another way is organize a food drive.
Mario, I don't know how many times we've done this, but I remember for many many years when
were in L.A. every Christmas morning at 5:30 in the morning, we'd go to [Mario - Union
Rescue Mission in downtown L.A.], Downtown L.A. at 5:30 in the morning and we would go
and give away toothpaste, toothbrush, pillows, towels, and then we'd go to McDonald's and
buy 100, 150 McMuffins and come back and give food and blankets.
Another group that would go there would sing carols to them.
It was just fascinating.
Food Drive, because sometimes you'd be amazing how many people just need a simple meal.
Typically, when people come to me and they tell me, when somebody's begging on the streets
and they ask me for money, I always offer food.
I say, "I'll buy you a meal."
And if they say, "No, I just want money," I don't give them money, because then I know
what's taking place with the money.
But I say, "Why do you need money?"
Oh, because of food.
Okay, let me go buy you food.
"Oh, you know what?"
Then I know exactly where they're at.
But if they want me to buy them food, no problem.
I was in Chicago one night.
It was 1:00 in the morning.
I landed, I'm so hungry.
I go to this only pub that was open late at night, and they were offering steak.
And this one homeless man outside, he said, "Can you give me 20 bucks?"
I said, "Man, you're a big thinker if you're asking for 20 bucks."
And he said, "Can you give me 20 bucks?"
I said, "No, but I'll buy you a meal."
He said, "No problem, man.
I'm so hungry."
I said, what do you want to have?
He said anything.
I said, "Let's have dinner together."
I take him in the restaurant and the owner says, "No, he's not welcome here.
He begs outside all the time."
I said, "Look, I'm paying."
He said, "But he can't come inside."
I said, "No problem.
What do you want to order?"
Give him a menu.
He gave him a menu.
And I said, "What do you want?"
He said, I want a prime rib.
I said, "What else do you want?"
He ordered his food.
So they bring my food.
I could eat it inside.
They didn't let him eat inside.
I had them serve his prime rib outside to him, and the drinks outside to him.
He ate his meal, he was happy.
I ate, I left.
The purpose was served.
And I didn't give him money.
But I did give him food.
There's many ways you can give back that's going to help people out.
The smallest occasions.
You have no idea how much that means to that person.
That person's got a stomach full of food that night to go to sleep and they're good to go.
#4
Fourth way, coach kids.
My brother-in-law, I call him a saint.
I've never met a man like him.
He is so gentle as a man with kids, that every parent that he was coaching this summer, the
son, Sean, is like a phenome soccer player.
He's an absolute beast of a left - he kicks with his left food, did you know that?
He's insane.
I mean, when he plays, the team knows they're going to win.
And so, he was asked by parents after a great job he did last season, they want him to coach
again.
So he went and coached again.
And so, one of the ways you can coach is if you have a good tolerance for kids, and you
played high school football or baseball or basketball or soccer and you know the basic
practice tactics because you were a part of it, give back.
If you've done some organized sports, that's one of the ways you can do it.
#5
Help raise money for a certain charity or a foundation.
Just recently we teamed up with Susan G. Komen for I don't know how many years.
And Jennifer, my wife, is very instrumental on the way she's working with Susan G. Komen
and many of the ladies.
So this time we had many, many events across the country.
I don't know how many events this was.
All over the country we did events.
And money was raised.
I mean, it could have been as small as $250 to raising as much as $11,000, $12,000.
And then that money goes to Susan G. Komen.
Why?
Well, for them, it could be 68% of the money is used for research and they're going to
find out ways for breast cancer, and my grandmother had breast cancer, and both of them had to
be, you know, and it's a very emotional and difficult thing a woman goes through.
And a lot of times you can do simple testing that, they're educating women on how to test
- I just think it's very important.
So find out what research means a lot to you and go support that charity.
There's many of them out there that you can participate with.
Go online and look them up and find something that means a lot to you, and if you're part
of a company that supports a certain charity, support them as well.
But on top of that, be able to support other charities that mean a lot to you.
Support those causes as well.
#6 is elderly homes.
Sometimes elderly homes they just want somebody to talk to them.
Believe it or not, when you go to elderly homes, if I can tell you the one question
to ask when you do go to elderly homes is, here's my favorite question to ask, "What
invention was completely crazy when it happened in your lifetime?"
And you will have some of the most random conversations when somebody says, I remember
when they said this one machine was coming out, that we were going to watch shows on
it.
And it was television.
How was it?
Our first person in the city that had it, it was crazy.
So when you go there, ask them all sorts of ways that you can learn from them.
Hey, I'm a Great Depression baby.
How was it?
It doesn't matter.
Somebody could be 95 years old and they're still able to talk and you're sitting there,
talking to them.
There's a lot you can give back to them.
So that's elderly.
#7: The next one is give money.
It's very simple.
Give money away to different types of things.
And one is I talk about research.
And the other one is giving money away to certain things that need help.
It doesn't matter what it is.
It could be a local community that they're building a park for kids.
Great.
Go contribute for them.
#8: Then it's building up local businesses.
This is a simple one.
Find out what local businesses, new local businesses that got started, and they're just
kind of trying to get it going.
Help them with their business.
Help get the word of mouth out there to help them out.
It doesn't matter what it is.
I'm always amazed when people don't want to support new business owners.
Help that person go out there.
If they've got good you like, go tell the world about it.
You know, you go to a nice restaurant, even right now while you're watching this, commit
today to posting one small business in your area that just got started that you like.
It could be a coffee shop.
It could be a restaurant.
It could be a gym you go to that's not the traditional big gym.
It could be anything that you go to.
Post the link on your Facebook Page, and say why you like it.
Very simple.
Post it on Twitter and say why you like it.
Simple as that.
It's simple as that on what you need to do.
One, tag it to them.
They'll be grateful you're doing that.
And two, other people will look at you and say, Man, he or she endorses other small businesses
and supports other businesses.
I like his approach.
I'm wondering what he or she does.
That's you.
#9 Then we have going big.
I'm a big fan of going big.
I think you've got to go make tens if not hundreds millions of dollars.
Why?
Because the more money you make, the more money you can give back.
So you've got to go big.
Don't let anybody fool you and tell you that it's not important to make big money.
If you're a good person, and you're watching this, and you've got a good heart, and you've
got a giving heart, guess what?
You know what I want people like you to do?
I want you to make tens of millions of dollars.
Because if you make tens of millions of dollars and you truly have a big heart, you're going
to give lots of money away.
By the way, if you're somebody watching this, and you say, I'll give money once I start
making money, no you won't.
If you're stingy with $10, you're going to be stingy with $100,000.
I guarantee you you'll be stingy with $10 million.
So just be in the spirit of giving.
I always remember when one time I was competing with another guy and he had a nickname of
being a jerk.
And one guy got up and he said something very interesting.
And we were competing hardcore.
We were good friends.
But he had this nickname that we'd give him.
I didn't think he was a jerk, but other people thought he was a jerk.
And this one guy got up who he didn't like this competitor.
And I'm sitting there, there were three of us.
And one tried to call him out and the other guy said, you know what happens when you make
money?
Here's all money does to you.
Money just makes you more of what you are right now.
If you're a jerk, you're a rich jerk.
If you give a lot right now, you'll give a lot more when you make more money.
It just makes you more of what you are today.
Not much changes.
You just become more of what you are today.
So going big.
Go and make lots of money.
Figure out ways how you can contribute to society.
#10: The other one is give away books.
Simply give away books.
I don't know how many thousands of books we've given away.
5,000?
I don't know how many thousands of books we've given way.
Literally, 5, 6, 7,000 books.
Because I feel the same with somebody can impact my life by giving me a book.
The way I can help change someone's life, like I just talked to a kid right now, a young
cat who is a quality guy and I remember when I spoke to him in Palm Springs and he says,
the book that made the biggest impact on my life is Laws of Success.
And then somebody else says, another book, and another book, and another book.
And, you know, you have no idea how big of an impact you can make in your community if
you give books away.
Go figure out a way on who impacted your life, at what age, give those books away.
It could be the fact that you don't like the fact that your parents went through a divorce.
Go buy 50 copies of the Five Love Languages and give it away to people around you that
mean a lot to you, and you know the husband and wife are going through a challenge, give
those books away to them.
It could be somebody that you're seeing that has some drug issues.
Go buy five of those books, and give it away to somebody that has a drug issue.
Or a depression issue.
Whatever it is.
You'd be amazed how big of an impact you can make in someone's life by giving some books
away.
#11 - last but not least, surprise a family.
How?
I don't care how you surprise them.
Just surprise them.
[Flight announcement over the loud speaker, including an announcement about the Galaxy
Note 7, and some ribbing by Patrick to Mario because he has a Samsung.]
Mario: That should keep me off the plane.
Patrick: It's about safety.
We're trying to make you live a long time.
The last one is surprise a family.
How do you surprise a family?
Make a meal for them.
Surprise them.
Stop by someone's house and, you know, find out what gifts the kids want and just surprise
them.
This is a very good season, November, December, to surprise people.
Make people feel good.
Believe me, you will enjoy yourself more if you go out there and give back during this
season.
So, with that being said, this is the response to many of you that sent me messages on giving
back, how to give back, and why you should give back.
So with that being said, if you've got some ways that you give back, that is different
than what I said, please, post your comment on the bottom and if you have not subscribed
to this channel, please do so by clicking on the subscribe button on the bottom.
And this lady doesn't sound like she's going to stop talking, so I'm going to let you go
with the distraction we got and I'll look forward to next week's episode from the office
where I've got some exciting things I'm going to share with everybody.
Take care everybody, bye bye.