“Gratitude is the kryptonite of negativity”.
– Kevin Hart
It can be difficult to talk about gratitude in a business context.
I think it’s because it’s seen as a soft skill but also business is usually a lot about solving and preventing problems.
And when you’re consumed with problems it’s easy to be consumed with everything that’s ‘wrong’, which kind of makes the whole gratitude thing more difficult…
I remember meeting with someone who was seeking more clarity in their work and life.
They had a great business and life yet were completely ignoring all that they had created. They were consumed by the problems around them in the pursuit of getting more. Their focus was completely on what was wrong and zero on what was right.
No surprise then that their mood was shockingly bad. And once that happens, you’re not going get the best from yourself or others.
We focused on several things but one of the areas was a mindset of gratitude, which science has shown to be a key emotion in resilience and also creativity.
On a simple level, genuine gratitude is a powerful emotion that can transform your state or mood. And when that happens you think and perform better.
Here’s something to consider this week:
1. List 5 things you’re grateful for in your work and/or life
2. For each, write out why it’s so important (a key step that most don’t do)
3. Review the list each evening before bed, and add to it.
Best,
Shane
PS – And consider sharing that gratitude with others – leaders often under-estimate how powerful a genuine ‘thank you’ is to the people around them.
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