The idea of “gratitude as duty” was shoved down my throat from a very early age. When I was a little boy I was told by my school masters on a constant basis about how grateful I should be, you know, for belonging to such a great family who could send me to such a great school in a such a great country yada yada yada.
And today?
I’m happy to report, Gratitude is now my killer app. I know of no other emotion that does a better job of separating what matters, from what doesn’t. And the older I get, the more important this ability becomes, in both business and outside of it.
Especially in this world of so much choice and opportunity. We all find ourselves in the never-ending struggle between what is better- to just be happy with what you already have, or to go for it, to reach for the stars.
What nobody told me when I was younger was that actually, if you’re already happy with what you have, it’s actually makes reaching for the stars a lot more fun and stress free, therefore far more likely to have a good outcome. Funny how that works.
Gratitude lasts. Pleasure is fleeting. And thank heavens it’s not the other way around.
