There’s a dissonance that many people experience when it comes to money and service. It’s this unspoken tension between wanting to help others and the discomfort that can arise from receiving money—especially a lot of it—for doing so. The question is: Can we truly be of service while also making good money? And perhaps more importantly, how do we reconcile the two in a way that feels authentic and aligned?
Let’s get straight to it: The more money someone makes, the more people they can serve.
That’s not a catchphrase. That’s reality.
I have watched this in action in my own life. The resources that financial growth provides allow me to build, create, and expand in ways that were simply not possible years ago. The reach I have now, the platforms I’ve built, the tools I’ve developed—all of them stem from the ability to reinvest into what I do. The impact I’m able to have today is on a completely different scale than what was possible back in 2003. And that’s not because I care more now than I did then. It’s because I have more to work with.
Yet, so often we hear messages that equate earning money with being selfish, narcissistic, or somehow disconnected from the heart of service. There’s this idea that making a good living—especially a great living—somehow corrupts the purity of helping others. But that’s a distorted view of what it means to be in fair exchange.
Fair exchange is another word for integrity.
It means being in balance—within yourself and in relationship with those you serve. When you are in fair exchange, you are both giving and receiving. You’re allowing yourself to be supported so that you can continue to support others.
If you’re constantly giving without receiving, even if it looks noble on the outside, you’re actually out of integrity. You’re draining your own energy and resources, and over time, that leads to burnout, resentment, or disconnection from your purpose. You may look generous, but internally you’re running on empty.
And the opposite is true, too. If you’re making lots of money, but you’ve disconnected from the intention to serve—if it becomes all about accumulation and status—you’re also out of alignment. You’re no longer in a reciprocal relationship with the world around you.
But when you put both together—abundance and service—that’s when the magic happens.
That’s when you step into mastery.
That’s when you become a powerful force for change.
That’s when your work becomes not just sustainable, but scalable.
You can be wildly abundant and deeply of service.
You can earn well and give generously.
You can be in full integrity with yourself and with those you serve.
And when you are, that’s not just a personal win—it’s a gift to the world.
Lisa
