Many of us focused our gratitude on “fun highlights” as we closed out 2019. But if we articulate and are grateful for our professional accomplishments—including career obstacles that we faced and overcame—we can boost our confidence as we move into 2020. Further, gratitude can be a powerful tool to gauge whether or not you are in sync with the Field, helping you maximize your success potential in 2020.
How? See the Toolbox below excerpted from my book, Leverage the Field for Success.
Toolbox: Success Milestones and Gratitude
Would you like one sure fire sign that you are in sync with the Field? Raise your awareness of success milestones, as well as your acknowledgement of those milestones. Doing this will naturally produce a feeling of gratitude, and when you have that feeling of gratitude, that is a sure sign that you are in sync with the Field. Think of the experience of gratitude as a juncture of three currents in the Field: your own desires, the desires of others who wanted the result that your success produced, and the desires of the Field. In tactical terms, your success milestone produced a result that was both the desire of others who needed the result to aid in their own path to success, and a result that addressed the primary goal of the Field itself: expansion.
Studies suggest that the experience of gratitude acts as a kind of “momentum boost” or “success accelerator” in the Field. Many articles and books expound on the power of gratitude on a personal level. Here, however, we will touch on just a few key impacts that are relevant to the corporate work environment (as cited in a 2014 Forbes article(14)):
Improves physical and psychological health
A 2012 study showed that grateful people experience fewer aches and pains, were more likely to make regular check-ups with their doctors, and were also more likely to exercise.(15) Further, multiple studies have shown that gratitude reduces a myriad of toxic emotions – including depression – while at the same time increasing happiness.(16) And feeling physically and emotionally balanced and healthy enables you to perform at optimal levels.
Improves sleep and self-esteem
Writing down a few items for which you are grateful before going to sleep has been shown to enhance both the quality and length of sleep.(17) A 2014 study found that gratitude increases the self-esteem among athletes and leads directly to optimal performance on the field.(18)
Broadens your network
Thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek an ongoing relationship. Thus, acknowledging contributions from others in the workplace can lead to new opportunities.(19)
Increases mental strength
For years, research has shown that gratitude can play a major role in overcoming trauma. Recognizing all you have to be thankful for – even during the worst times of your life – fosters resilience.(20)
So raise your awareness of success milestones in order to acknowledge the success and be grateful for it. In doing so, your confidence that you are in sync with the Field will increase (remember the three juncture discussion), and the act of gratitude will further boost or accelerate your positive momentum in the Field.
This Toolbox appears in Chapter 6, titled “Being ‘In Sync’ in a Corporate Setting”. Click here to purchase your copy of Leverage the Field for Success.
Footnotes:
14. Published 11/23/2014 on Forbes.com, “7 Scientifically Proven Benefits Of Gratitude That Will Motivate You To Give Thanks Year-Round”.
15. 2012 study published in Personality and Individual Differences, as cited in Forbes.com article.
16. Studies conducted by Robert A. Emmons, Ph. D., as cited in Forbes.com article.
17. 2011 study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well Being, as cited in Forbes.com article.
18. 2014 study published in Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, as cited in Forbes.com article.
19. 2014 study published in Emotion, as cited in Forbes.com article.
20. 2006 study published in Behavior Research and Study; 2003 study published in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, as cited in Forbes.com article.