In this episode, I interviewed David Meltzer, co-founder of Sports One Marketing and bestselling author. We talked about shifting from scarcity to abundance. David emphasized the importance of embracing abundance, conquering fears, and appreciating what we have. He shared practical strategies like focusing on what we want, surrounding ourselves with like-minded individuals, and adding value first when fundraising. If you’re interested, reach out to David at david@davidmeltzer.com to join his community and learn more.
Stay tuned for more insightful episodes of Nonprofit Lowdown! 🎧✨
“Be Kind To Your Future Self” – David
Episode Transcript
Rhea 0:05
Welcome to nonprofit lowdown. I’m your host, Rhea Wong. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my absolute pleasure to welcome my friend David Meltzer. On the podcast. David is a co founder of sports one marketing. He’s a consultant. He’s a business coach. He’s a keynote speaker, and he’s a 3x Best Selling Author. David, welcome to the show.
David 0:26
Thank you for having me, what a great opportunity to share with your community and hopefully guide you some insight and dummy tax on how to help people live in abundance.
Rhea 0:35
I love that. Okay, you know what I know we only move for a limited amount of time. So we’re just gonna jump right into this. First question I have for you for your personal story is so compelling that you had all of this success and financial abundance and you hit bottom, and then you brought yourself back up? And so I’m wondering, especially for all of the nonprofit executives out there who are feeling really burned out, what would your advice be, because, especially when you’re in the giving profession, you feel like you’ve given you give, and at some point, you’ve hit burnout or fatigue.
David 1:04
Yeah, what we find, especially in the philanthropic side of things, and the giving side of things, is it’s really important to teach people or empower them that giving and receiving are one, and that a lot of times that we’re not living in abundance, not because we’re not afraid to give it’s we’re afraid to receive. And so a key component in the idea of living in the flow in abundance in an infinite unified system of thought is that appreciation, a value add occurs only with one acknowledgement, which the only way that we can acquire the knowledge of what we have is to not have it anymore, and not have it anymore.
David 1:42
And so giving it having it lost, stolen, manipulated, and cheated also creates acknowledgement, but where we failed to fill ourselves or fill that vessel that is empty through appreciation and acknowledgement is in the same context of value add, which is asking for help asking for more. When we truly live in abundance, we’re not afraid to ask for help or afraid to ask for more are afraid to ask for donations are afraid to ask for money, whatever it may be. And so my biggest piece of advice is to ask every day in person on the phone via email, media, social, traditional media. And if we’re not asking and giving, then we’re not living in the flow. Got himself as it influencers spreading dis ease, instead of living in the flow and spreading ease of abundance in an infinite value. You add world.
Rhea 2:34
Okay, I want to unpack that. Because I think you’ve said so much is so wise in the nonprofit field. I think we get really into this scarcity mindset of never enough money, never enough time, never enough staff, etc, etc. And I think that puts us into that scarcity mindset. And we’re not really able to get into the flow of abundance, what are some of your favorite, call it mind hacks, if you will, to really get ourselves into it. I think you mentioned one, appreciation, if I’m sitting here as an ad, and I’m just like freaked out about making payroll. Harris changed my energy about that.
David 3:05
First, the Cornerstone is faith. And I think that it’s really important to believe, not just say Do think but believe and feel abundance within the context of faith, that there’s more than enough and in order to believe there’s more than enough, I believe in the best option, which is there’s something bigger than me, and I’m missing all powerful, all knowing source that loves me more than my mom. And in this cornerstone thought, I now am always protected and promoted. I’m living in a world of more than enough not just enough or not enough.
David 3:40
And whether I have payroll due or whether I am short in any way or feel scarce in any way, that when I have a cornerstone of that belief that I live in an abundant world protected and promoted by an omniscient all powerful source that loves me even more than my mom, then I can get into the practice of identifying the interference the disease, which really is manifested in two ways one, fear the past, which is guilt and resentment or fear the future with his anxiety and worry, and from there when I can identify the fear now I can only hopefully practice spending minutes and moments in fear instead of days weeks, months and years focusing in on what other people want what other people think what’s missing what I don’t have when I can focus in on abundance of what I do have an being protected and promoted it’s amazing how would I think they do believe and feel are intentional of manifest stating exactly what I do want not what I don’t want
Rhea 4:43
Oh, that’s so powerful. And how what kind of tips would you recommend folks to get into that faith or that belief? Because I think especially if you’re so used to thinking in a scarcity mindset way it can be hard to just I can’t Can I just decide one day that I’m going to start thinking like this? What are the devil Nuts are gems of wisdom around that.
David 5:02
Worst of all, that’s a very wise thing because it takes as much energy to get from zero to one, as it does from one to 100. And that’s what you’re explaining there that we can’t tell someone that’s depressed or anxious. Hey, just look at the glass half full, what’s your problem? In too many people try to take the simplistic approach to that hack or change and what so what I tried to do is work within the context of energy or behavior. And it applies to behaviors, money consistency, and there’s three characteristics that we have to start practicing. One is understand that our behaviors create progress and progress is near to impossible to see instantaneously.
David 5:42
So we have to have faith that the good progress that we have is created by good behaviors, which number one aggregate on itself, it attracts more good into our lives, it exponentially provides better outcomes, and it also accelerates. So those are the three characteristics of energy, behavior, money, both energies. And so for me, I create practices that are time dependent, I believe, time itself, men make constructive time is a dependent variable of all matter. And so if we can look at what we are doing, saying, thinking, believing and feeling today, in a trajectory of where we think we want to be, by giving meaning or finding the lessons of the defining moments, successes, failures, mistakes, setbacks, boId shortages and obstacles of my past.
David 6:30
So for me, I take minutes and moments to say, Okay, here’s what I want today, personally, experientially giving and receiving, here’s who I can help, and who can help me, here’s how best to get it done. Knowing that if I know the, what the who and the how I now can prioritize by importance in the trajectory of where I think I want to be. And also do a time check on am I giving meaning to that which is interfering with where I want to be, instead of giving meaning to what I want giving meaning to what I don’t want? And so by knowing my what my Who am I how I now have the antidote to procrastination and feeling overwhelmed, which is prioritization.
David 7:10
What’s important to me, using urgency is a subset to influence my daily activities in that 24 hours of being present, which allows me to do one simple thing instead of searching for my Why would so many humanitarians, philanthropic people, givers of the world healers of the world, they just want to go ahead and give an in search of their why their passion, instead, I believe in applying our why, which is identifying that which interferes with I am, I am happy, I am healthy, I am wealthy, I am worthy. What am I doing to interfere with it is completely different than I’m going to get happy, get healthy, get wealthy and get worthy.
Rhea 7:50
Ah, that is such a great reframe. I’m going to start using that. And as you’re talking what occurs to me is it’s really about calming the fear and the emotion of the brain down to actually think logically sequentially about the steps that you can take versus loving, you know, the fear mongering brain just make you like sit in anxiety. So let me switch tacks a little bit, because I again, I’m trying to get as much out of this 20 minutes as possible. I know that philanthropy is very near and dear to your heart. Can you say a little bit about has it always been the case? And if not, what was the switch for you?
David 8:27
So it’s always been the case because my mom was always that way. She’s a pleaser, like I’m a pleaser wanting to help other people was the primary interest of her life as she raised six kids, a single mom, all who ended up passionate, purposeful and profitable in their lives. But she gave everything away. She wasn’t someone who asked she was someone who appreciated and acknowledged and gave everything away, I had to create a relationship with philanthropy with giving, I used to give to receive my mom was one of those classic Mavericks have, the more you give, the more you’ll receive. That is true, as long as you ask to receive.
Rhea 10:27
Oh, wait, I wanted to double click on that, because I asked you for help is not something that comes very naturally to be, but I think you’re absolutely right. It is a gift to the person that you’re asking to help you, is it not?
David 10:40
For sure, just it’s so funny how we don’t think about how we feel when the same circumstances occur. Someone like you, if I called you Maria, and I said, Hey, I need your help. And you’re able to help me I promised you would feel so good. But we don’t realize that that hey, I’m giving that person an opportunity to give I’m giving that up prison an opportunity to feel good in look, even God or source or whatever you believe in, I don’t care about religion, philosophy, theory, whatever you believe in.
David 11:11
For me, even in that respect, like we get a doggie biscuit, a proof a literally biochemical bio, an anatomical proof, that giving receiving and witnessing are one because when we give the dose dopamine, oxytocin, endorphins are received when we receive the same as occurring, and when we witness giving and receiving the same occurs. So there’s actually a biochemical bio anatomical reaction that says, hey, this is a good thing. That’s why I’m giving you a dose of happiness. Compared to when you live in scarcity and fear, you get cortisol, which creates inflammation. And it’s actually the proof biochemically and anatomically, that you’re doing the wrong thing. When cortisol is created, not dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, endorphins.
Rhea 11:59
David i love that you’re marrying the philosophical, the spiritual and the biochemical. It’s the triumvirate in here. Let me switch tacks a little bit. I know I’m jumping around a lot. But I have so many questions. I have lots of executive directors and development directors listening to this, and you being both a very successful person, but also very evolved person. I know folks are like, how do we find all the David melters? In my life, right? Because I’m sure that you are very good at accelerating the growth of whatever you’re involved with, be it charities, or whatever. And yet, I think a lot of people feel like David is one in a million. But how do I attract the kind of people like David to be part of my community.
David 12:39
So your frequencies your neighborhood, and I’m very conscious, attentional and intentional about the people ideas, events, circumstances, beliefs, and feelings I surround myself with, because I know their energy and energy aggregates that attracts more like, it exponentially gives you the outcomes, and it accelerates. So it happens faster, three really progressive characteristics that you want in anything that you care about, or do or trajectory that you hope for. And so for me, I’m very intentional, knowing that what I pay attention to the people, I surround myself with the intention, I give it, what I do, say, think, believe and feel with those people, equals the karma, coincidence, the consequences that I want.
David 13:25
And so for me, I create communities of people who want to help each other and know people who can help each other. And I know we only have a limited amount of time, but anyone in your community, if they email me david@gmail.com, you can join my community for free, I’ll send you my book, I’ll sign it, I’ll pay for shipping and the book. It’s for me an abundant way to have people know that from Quincy, know, your essence, know your skills, your knowledge and your desire, and align it with other people who can help you and know people that can help you with your skills, your knowledge and your desire.
Rhea 14:00
From your background in sales, which is somewhat similar to fundraising. I think a lot of people come from this, I want to say transactional extractive mindset. And I know you have come from this idea of 120, which is I’m going to add, I’m going to add value before I ask for value back. So how could we apply that idea to fundraising?
David 14:19
Why raise a lot of funds, I’m the Chief jester of Junior Achievement University, we have 100 million alumni, we got nominated for Nobel Prize. It’s an extraordinary organization for entrepreneurs, 15 to 25. I’m the chairman of unstoppable Foundation. And for me, it’s a real simple, mathematical pragmatic approach. And it’s, I practice articulating quantitative value to exceed what I’m asking for understanding the credibility of what I’m talking about.
David 14:47
Understanding the emotional attachment of knowing what they like and don’t like because true values derive by giving people more of what they like, and taking away some of what they don’t like, and being able to articulate A quantitative value of what they like and don’t like, then I’m able to support it with the reasons impacts and capabilities that I have or the charity has, or the philanthropy has in order to effectuate with that credibility, the value is you suggest, I love to say, hey, please let me give you $100 worth of value, just give me $20 back. And most people are so in love with what they’re doing in a passionate, purposeful way.
David 15:26
They don’t take the time to practice whether it’s business wise, philanthropy wise, personally, they don’t practice articulating that quantitative value to exceed what they’re asking for. And so when we can meet people, where they’re at, understand what they like, and don’t like, add more of what they like, take away what they don’t like and articulate that value. We have a huge success, because we simply say, Hey, can you see any reason you wouldn’t want to give to Junior Achievement to the unstoppable Foundation, or any other cause or purpose that you are aligned with? And this formula works in business, life and charity. And I’m more than happy to help people with that as well. I have an exercise to help people, please email me, David at D meltzer.com. We have you can put that in the notes. I’d appreciate it to help other people and empower them to live in abundance.
Rhea 16:13
I will do and thank you so much, David, this has been a short but powerful burst of inspiration and wisdom. I really appreciate you and if there’s anything I can do to help you and your causes, please let me know.
David 16:25
We’d love to have you on more of our platforms as well. The world needs more of you and what you’re doing, I applaud and anything I can do to support you as well please let me know what a pleasure it is and an opportunity to be here. Thank you everyone be more interested and interesting. Be kind to your future self and do good deeds.
Rhea 16:42
Thank you so much. Take care, David. Have a good one.
—
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support
