How to get addicted to appreciation

Our priority with this newsletter is to go beyond the stories we tell in our videos to provide you with insights that we hope you haven’t heard anywhere else. As Jim Keyes, the former CEO of 7Eleven once told us — “Never stop learning”.

— Gabriel DeSanti & Max Breslau

The key to appreciating the things we hardly notice — with Timm Chiusano

Context: Until recently, Timm worked as a creative executive at a Fortune 100 company, managing over 200 employees for over a decade. More notably, Timm is known for documenting his day-to-day life as a 40-somethings dad and husband living in Brooklyn, NY to his community of over 1.3 million people.

From the moment you meet Timm, his unique edge is clear.

• A strong purpose in uplifting others
• A furrowed brow as he selects the right words to offer advice
• A sense of humor in both his successes and failures.

But most impressively, is his appreciation for the little things around him. Not gratitude—he made that distinction—but appreciation.

?? “Gratitude is transactional. Appreciation is foundational.”

The key, according to Timm, is to appreciate the things we hardly notice. This leads to curiosity, greater awareness, and new ways of thinking. It’s about noticing and asking why. Appreciation has helped him become a better leader by understanding why people act the way they do, make better decisions, and find magic in the mundane.

Gratitude, on the other hand, is being thankful for the things we get based on how they make us feel. Timm believes that while gratitude is valuable, we can’t be grateful for everything. Gratitude does not elicit curiosity the same way appreciation does.

Both lead to a similar goal, but gratitude lacks the richness of inquiry that appreciation brings.

As Timm writes his first book, How To Get Addicted To Appreciation, he reminds us that appreciation stems from giving more than you take—and it often leaves you with more in return.

The Power of Appreciation: Insights from Adam Grant

Grant?is a world-renowned organizational psychologist who studies motivation at work, and he has a powerful message about appreciation:

The key to unlocking your fullest potential lies in a sense of service to others.

Grant explains that when you connect your work to its impact on others, motivation and productivity soar. Consider a few examples:

• Given the same (yes, the exact same) x-rays, radiologists improved their accuracy?significantly when photos of the patients were attached.
• After hearing a 10-minute testimonial from a scholarship beneficiary, workers increased revenue 171% using the same script, even after 1-month.

When you find new ways to appreciate your impact on those you serve, you become more resilient and navigate challenges with a sense of purpose.

It’s all about greeting an obligation with curiosity to better recognize and appreciate the way you make a difference.

Job of the month

If you are familiar with my content, you may remember Billy. Before becoming a taxi driver, Billy worked the night shift at Windows On The World, the restaurant located on the 107th floor of the original World Trade Center. 23 Years later, Billy is still serving his fellow New Yorkers as a cabbie. I recently took a ride with Billy, again, and there is no doubt in my mind that he is a beautiful example of what makes New York, New York; a man filled with perseverance, grit, and a whole lot of love.

Thank you for reading the first edition of our monthly newsletter!

We can’t wait to continue building this community together as we move into 2025.

(un)professionally yours,

Gabriel DeSanti & Max Breslau