Being Fruitful

Over the years I’ve learned to challenge my audiences to turn their response to the ideas and information they receive into results. According to the Christian story, the first couple, Adam and Eve, was instructed to be fruitful—produce some results. Fruitful is kind of an interesting word; it denotes abundance. Here’s what I think fruitful, abundance and productivity mean: to go to work on producing more than you need for yourself. I think we fulfill that command given to us so long ago to be productive, to produce far more than we need for ourselves, by blessing others, blessing our nation and blessing our enterprise.

 

Challenge yourself to produce more ideas than you need for yourself so you can share and give your ideas away. Produce more in terms of substance and money and treasure and all things valuable to human beings, far more than you need for yourself. I am reminded of R.G. LeTourneau’s story, the man who built the big earth-moving machines; it was his goal to someday give away 90 percent of his income—giving away far more than anyone could possibly imagine. And 90 percent is an awful lot to give away, but you should have seen the 10 percent that was left. Once abundance starts to come, once someone becomes incredibly productive, it’s amazing what the numbers turn out to be. It’s amazing what it finally totals. So make sure when you are given the opportunity, that you turn your response into results, thus the chance to be more fruitful and more giving.

—Jim Rohn