5 Things I Learned From 30 Days of Gratitude
My gratitude practice: Record one point of gratitude every day. (It must be written, not simply thought.)
Lessons from 30 days of gratitude:
#1. Gratitude is disproportionately beneficial.
Overall, November was more enjoyable than many previous months. A simple gratitude practice made the difference.
#2. Aim low.
In the past, my gratitude practice occasionally made me ungrateful. I set a goal of recording five things on my gratitude list. That’s just too many.
This year my goal was low and easily achieved.
Stretch goals enable development. Achievable goals promote mastery.
#3. Gratitude shifts mindset.
The thing you set your mind on in the morning impacts the ending you experience at night.
Mindset has consequences.
The things you set your mind on determine the ends you achieve. Set your mind on benefits and advantages in order to achieve desires and goals.
A gratitude mindset promotes joyful action.
A don’t-have mindset promotes excuse-making, weakness, and stagnation.
#4. Modeling increases confidence.
One of the most discomforting principles of leadership is ‘responsibility begins with you’.
Expect more from yourself than you expect from others.
My personal gratitude practice gave me permission to encourage others to practice gratitude.
#5. Modeling expands credibility.
When it comes to mistakes, ‘Do what I say, NOT what I do’ is useful.
Experience has a measure of usefulness when you explain how you screwed up. But hypocrisy – saying one thing and doing another – is disillusioning to followers and arrogant of you.
Telling people what to do is easy. Telling yourself what to do elevates credibility.
- Improve yourself if you expect others to improve.
- Listen if you expect others to listen.
- Follow-through if you expect others to follow-through.
Frustration with others points to responsibility for you.
What is it about YOU that invites disappointing performance from others?
What has gratitude taught you?
How might gratitude make leaders easier to follow?
Bonus material:
How Gratitude Can Transform Your Workplace (berkeley.edu)
Why Expressing Gratitude Through Our Leadership Matters (tanveernaseer.com)
A Little Thanks Goes a Long Way (umkc.edu)
What has gratitude taught you? The trails and tribulations of life can be humbling, learning that “an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure” comes to mind. Surely more times than once everyone would like a “do over” at one time or another in live, in business, etc.
How might gratitude make leaders easier to follow? The appreciation factor comes into play those who are appreciated will follow, those who are disillusioned will shy away.
Thanks Tim. I’m glad you dropped in today.
Interesting that you noticed the contrast between gratitude and disillusionment. I find this to be a sobering thought for anyone who aspires to be a person of influence.
What has gratitude taught you? As Tim indicates you begin to appreciate what matters in life and from that smile and push forward.
Thanks Roger. It’s interesting that gratitude helps clarify values.
For years I’ve heard “all the news media is bad news” — and between COVID and election cycle, we’ve had plenty…
Gratitude brings balance, by helping me take notice of the good, thanks for encouraging me (us) in this way, it changes the tone of my thinking.
Thanks Ken. Balance in these days is a great quality. I hadn’t thought of this, but it’s powerful.
I must have missed your commitment to doing this, Dan. I think December is a great time to start! Thanks for the suggestion!
Thanks Amy. You are so right. I wish you well.
Just curious – did those around you notice any difference in your attitude/behavior during your month-long experiment?
Thanks for asking Leeann. Yes, the people who are closest to me have noticed a difference. (Not all the time, of course.)