GRATITUDE: The Question You Should Ask Yourself This Week

Gratitude: to acknowledge the goodness in our lives; to be thankful for what is.

These past few weeks I have been in deep introspection. 

One of my favorite books is Essentialism. Thus, for years, I have been working to simplify my life and business as much as possible. 

One of my favorite startup strategists, Dan Martell, proposes a concept of five ones-- focus on one service, one channel, one uncomfortably narrow target and one message for one full year. 

I’m ready to make that commitment so I’ve been in deep thought on my “five ones” for 2020. 

The plan? My goal is to facilitate 40 sales strategy workshops in 2020. 

I felt a huge sigh of relief upon nailing down my goal and committing to my "five ones" strategy for the upcoming year. 

But immediately following that sigh of relief, came a rush of adrenaline…

"Ok, Liz, so what are you going to do now? Who are your 4,000 target accounts for 2020 so if you only convert 1% you still achieve your goal?"

Gallups cites my top 5 strengths as: Achiever, Strategic, Futuristic, Learner & Activator.

I have an incessant need for achievement. I look forward as a visionary and see patterns where most see complexity. I am drawn to the process of learning and have a bias towards action.

In other words, it is easy for me to lose my grasp on reality and gratefulness for what IS because my gifting lies in shaping what could be.

What about you?

How do you balance the need to “increase your territory” with thankfulness for what exists?

Do you have a daily or weekly practice of mindfulness & gratitude?

Do you send special thank you’s or gifts to your clients & strategic partners this time of year? (In giving, I believe we receive…)

Do you take this time as an opportunity to survey past & current clients for their feedback so that you can align your strategy with the voice of the customer?

As Chief Growth Officer of the last consulting firm I worked with- we had live wreaths delivered to all of our current clients, strategic partners and team members. Clients RAVED about this!

Last year, I sent a wine subscription to all of my clients. (A risky gift if you don’t know your client base intimately.)

Although I’m admittedly obsessed with “new business hunting”, I value the critical importance of expanding current relationships and showing your current customer base that you truly are appreciative for their support and patronage.

To help me get grounded when I’m too stressed about the future, there’s a question that I ask myself that almost brings me to tears each time I answer it.

The question is… “what do you have TODAY that you’re grateful for, that at one point, you yearned for and would doubt you’d ever have?”

As a domestic violence survivor who once lived in shelter for 9 months (don’t worry- over 12 years ago), this can be an emotional question because it reminds me of the simple things I take for granted that I wasn’t always blessed to have: 

...safety, peace, self-love, healthy romantic love, forgiveness, a car I’m not ashamed to drive (ha! The hoopty life was real), a business, a place that’s mine that I can call home.

And you? What did you once yearn for, that you now possess?

… take a moment to breathe that in...

I’ll tell you what… I am incredibly grateful for Y-O-U.

And I know, I know, that can sound gimmicky this time of year. But I mean it. 

The fact that you’re reading this means that you value my trainings, my thoughts, my approach, my story, my style. 

(Or you’re just on here to heckle me and that’s cool too because I’m often motivated by my haters. Kidding! Well, not entirely kidding...)

Before I launched my business, I questioned if anyone would value what I had to say. But thanks to you, I am humbled by the fact that my voice does inspire, inform and transform the business professionals I serve. 

THANK YOU sincerely.

Whatever this week looks like or means to you, I wish you gratitude for what IS. 

I leave you with my favorite quote from Danielle Laporte, 

“The journey has to feel, how you want the destination to feel.”

I urge you to choose gratitude on this journey...

-Liz

P.S.

Last week, my team completed my sizzle reel for 2020. Talk about gratitude! I watch this and am reminded how blessed I am to do what I LOVE for a living. Check out the 3 min reel below:

To inquire about bringing me in to speak at your upcoming event or for sales strategy, training or coaching for your organization, email [email protected]

About The Author:

Liz J. Simpson is on a mission to humanize sales & help B2B firms drive new business growth with sales strategies for today's savvier buyer.

As the founder of Stimulyst, a B2B Sales & LinkedIn training firm, Liz has helped clients close millions of dollars in new business revenue. Yet, what motivates her most are the words of a leader who once said, “if good people knew how to do good business, the world would be a better place.”

Liz has been featured on NBC, CBS, NPR, Voyage Dallas, Essence Magazine & as San Antonio Business Journal's 40 under 40. She is a Board Member serving Together In Digital and a lifetime INBOUND Fellow.

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