Baking a Jimmy Carter Pie Can Save the World
Imagine if Jimmy Carter had believed in a zero-sum world—where one person’s gain meant another’s loss. If that were true, philanthropy would be pointless, and volunteers would be wasting their time on those “others” (you know, the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the struggling… no big deal, right?).
If you’re not familiar with the term, it refers to a belief that “any gain by one party must come at an equal loss to another, meaning that the total amount of resources is fixed. This mindset assumes that for someone to win, someone else must lose, rather than recognizing the possibility where multiple parties can benefit.”
Thank God Carter didn’t buy into the zero-sum nonsense. I mean, he could have easily sailed off into the sunset after he had served as President #39. Instead, Carter helped eradicate diseases like Guinea worm and river blindness, improving and saving the lives of millions. He helped Habitat for Humanity build thousands of homes for low-income families. Research shows that low-income and transitional housing isn’t a government handout, it’s a launchpad to independence. He championed election monitoring and human rights, stabilizing economies and reducing corruption. He taught Bible study in his local church and continued to share his wisdom through numerous book publications well into the last years of his life.
The Zero-Sum Trap
Can you imagine a man who gave so much time, energy and wisdom…without expecting anything in return? You’d have thought he would have used it all up…if you were a zero-sum type of person.
Sadly, much of today’s American culture operates on zero-sum thinking. People believe success is a limited pie, and if someone else gets a bigger slice, theirs must shrink. This mindset kills creativity, generosity, and collaboration. It discourages those with the power to help from stepping up, and it keeps everyone stuck in a cycle of fear and selfishness. And zero-sum people are just never fun to work with!
But here’s the truth: Generosity is not a limited resource. Sharing our time, gifts, and experiences doesn’t deplete us —it makes us stronger. It makes us all stronger. It is the abundant-sum mindset.
So, I’m choosing generosity. I’m choosing to love my neighbor. Even when the world tells me otherwise. Even when it’s hard. Join me in choosing not to believe the lie that we need to guard our “pie.” I mean, there are endless ways to share our ingredients! We could bake all kinds of pies, sell some, give some away, and then use the profits to buy more ingredients—rinse and repeat. We could even start a “Jimmy’s Pies” movement. Who knew generosity could be so delicious?
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This blog shares perspectives on how you have the ability to create new story endings that are filled with greater meaning, power and hope. Brian Becker facilitates leadership and culture changing processes that help organizations achieve greater impact. He also provides leadership coaching to help executives and aspiring leaders become the fullest expression of who they’re intended to be.
If you’re looking for a keynoter, coaching or consulting services, you can contact Brian here – briancarlbecker@gmail.com
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