Marshall Goldsmith, a highly sought-after executive coach, has written books and articles around the idea that “what got you here, won’t get you there”. In other words, the methods, habits, ideas, etc. that in many instances have led to business and personal success, aren’t necessarily the path to greater success and especially greater happiness, fulfillment, and meaning in life. One of the major obstacles to further progress for many of the people we meet at the Certior Group is our busy lives.
It’s when we’re too busy that we can sometimes lose sight of what matters most. We can spend our time being busy, “putting out fires”, or falling back into habitual patterns of behavior. This is where I’ve found the Empowered Wealth Mindset to be most beneficial. And it begins with Gratitude.
We teach that Gratitude is the optimal response to life’s negative events, to those events and circumstances that aren’t adding to our happiness, fulfillment, or greater meaning. Seth Godin shares a story that highlights how Gratitude can transform the frustrations and anxiety of daily life into a better way of being:
I live fourteen miles from ground zero (the site of the 9-11 disaster in New York City), and there used be a cafe about five miles from here, near the train station. For a long time, there was a handwritten letter on the bulletin board in the café. It said “I was here a few weeks ago and I ordered a decaf coffee with bagel and butter. The idiot behind the counter gave me regular coffee, and put cream cheese on my bagel. As a result, I got all frustrated, and as a result he had to make it again, and as a result I was kicking and screaming, and as a result I missed my train, and because I missed my train, I got to the World Trade Center thirty minutes after the plane crashed into it and I am alive today. Thank you to the person who messed up my coffee order.”
More from Seth Godin on Gratitude
I’ve written previously about the Empowered Wealth tool, the Levels of Gratitude and how it can combat “entitlement”. Let me also reiterate what I’ve said before: we can give our children and others a gift that’s worth more than most of the “things” they think they may want in the moment. We can give them the gift of gratitude.
Please join us for one of our study group meetings or Empowered Wealth workshops where we teach the Levels of Gratitude.
