When Enthusiasm Is Borrowed (and When It Isn’t)
- 3 days ago
- 1 min read
People don’t give because they’ve been convinced.They give because they’ve caught something.
Belief is contagious, but only when it’s real. And human.
Donors don’t just connect to a mission; they connect to who you are. They expect leaders to embody the work, not just describe it. (A big job, I know.)
One of the most common fundraising challenges I see isn’t a lack of commitment. It’s cautious leadership energy.
Leaders care deeply, but they hold back, worried about over-promising, getting it wrong, or pushing too hard. That caution is understandable.
But when belief is muted, others feel it.
Enthusiasm doesn’t need to be loud to be effective. It just needs to be visible. When leaders speak clearly and confidently about what matters to them, others feel permission to borrow that belief and carry it forward.
When belief isn’t visible, people hesitate, not because they disagree, but because they’re unsure whether it’s safe to step in.
This is one of the quiet truths behind the power of good:
belief doesn’t spread through persuasion.
It spreads through presence.
One thing to try:
Notice how you talk about your work when no one is “watching”, in internal meetings, casual conversations, or thank-you calls.
Is your belief visible enough for others to borrow? Are you connecting people to the mission, or just explaining it?
