The Art of Thankfulness

If you focus on the good things in your life, even more good things will come.

By Roger Seip

I thought it would be good to remind you of a defining characteristic of successful advisors I’ve met worldwide.

Think about that colleague of yours who seems to have it all—a thriving practice, a great family, good health and he loves his life.

I’ve found that successful and joyous people are usually very skilled at counting their blessings. They focus on what’s right about their life instead of what’s wrong.

Why is this important?
It goes back to the incredibly simple but undeniably profound thought expressed in Earl Nightingale’s great album The Strangest Secret. He said, “You become what you think about all day long.”

It’s certainly true. The dominant thoughts that live in your mind will definitely manifest themselves in your life. Nightingale was certainly not the first or the only one to express this thought, either. It’s been reflected in most of the great wisdom literature throughout the ages.

William James, the father of 20th century American psychology, said, “If you change a person’s thoughts you change their life.” There are countless quotes and examples that tell us the same thing—the things we dwell on mentally are what we attract into our lives. When you learn to consciously focus on the things you are thankful for, you get more of them!

Direct your thoughts
Now you may be saying, “Sure, if I had the business (or the life or the body or the money or whatever) that I want, then I’d be thankful for it.” But that’s not how it works. That would be like looking at a woodstove and saying, “OK, once you give me some heat, then I’ll light the fire.” It’s up to you to direct your thoughts, and only then will you reap positive rewards.

So how can we systematically direct our thoughts? I’ve got three tips for you.

• Write out a “gratitude list.” Sit down with your family, some friends or your staff and simply create a list of things in life that you are thankful for. Don’t rule anything out, big or small. Even if it seems silly, put it on the list. Just this simple act will do wonders for your attitude. It’s a great activity, and you can look at it later for an immediate gratitude boost.
• Watch your self-talk. Your brain is talking to you every moment of every day, so exercise some influence over what it’s saying—especially first thing in the morning. When you tell yourself, “This is going to be a great day!” it has an immediate and profound effect on your mindset. If you need a little reminder, refer to your gratitude list.
• Do something nice for someone else. Abraham Lincoln said, “It is impossible to lift the burden of another without also lifting your own.” So go out of your way to do someone a favor—even a small one. Send a card to a coworker, open a door for a stranger, pay the highway toll for the lady behind you. Efforts like these will be the best investment of two minutes you’ve made all year. The smile you get in return will remind you of the things that are great about people.

Focus
By the way, if any of this sounds weird to you, well, it is.

It’s not the norm for people to be intolerant of negative, destructive thoughts. It’s not the norm for advisors to think and talk about only the things they are excited or grateful for. It’s also not the norm for people to have all the success, prosperity and joy they really deserve.

Think there’s a connection?

I promise that when you focus on the things you are thankful for, you attract more of them into your life. Try it out!

Roger Seip is the founder of Freedom Speakers and Trainers. He is a popular speaker, trainer, humorist and personal coach. For more information about his programs, visit www.deliverfreedom.com.