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.