If You Want to Grow Faster, Try This One Thing

Be grateful for what you have.

This statement can feel like a dismissal of our current situation or our future goals and aspirations: "You already have enough; why ask for more?"?

It feels like we are being told that seeking growth is in itself an expression of a lack of gratitude.

Not only is this a false interpretation, it is a dangerous one. Equating gratitude with complacency can halt our progress up our own S Curves.?

To our detriment.

Because when it comes to achieving our potential, gratitude is a powerful catalyst.?

Neuroscience tells us that gratitude increases the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, enhancing our mood. It activates brain areas linked to decision-making and empathy, and it lowers stress hormones like cortisol, promoting calmness and better sleep. It diminishes symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Gratitude fosters resilience, training our brains to focus on the positive.

When we are grateful, we feel good. When we feel good, it’s easier to change and grow, regardless of where you are on the S Curve.

For the last few years, in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States, I have shared a list of things for which I am grateful.?

When I wrote my list in 2020 , I was thinking about gratitude in the context of the Accelerant of Growth Examine Expectations . In 2021 , I concentrated on gratitude and how it’s related to Be Discovery Driven. Last year, I considered gratitude's role in the Accelerant Play to Your Distinctive Strengths.?

This year, in the spirit of the resilience that gratitude affords us, I’m focusing on being grateful for my Ecosystem—the environment of resources and relationships that surround and support individuals and teams and make growth possible.

Here's a short note of appreciation for a few of the relationships and resources I am grateful for in my life.?

I appreciate (in no particular order):

• My son, who is in Patagonia this week, models for the rest of the family what it’s like to go on an adventure.
• The team at Disruption Advisors who are deeply connected to and support not only each other but our mission as well –– and especially my co-founder, Amy Humble, who makes it a priority to nurture these connections.
• Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his creator, Louise Penny, who teach readers that nurturing relationships can be formed even in the most troubling of times.
• The amazing guests who join me on the Disrupt Yourself podcast who help others expand their networks of resources, ideas, and relationships.
• Piano tuners––because having instruments that are in tune is vital to making beautiful music.
• The chefs at the Red Iguana who nurture the world through their food.
• Many of you who respond here to our weekly newsletters or to our podcast about what you like and especially what you don’t like––your feedback makes our work better and helps our team grow.
• My daughter, whose deep generosity continually inspires me to find ways to be kinder and connect more with those around me––and who continually cooks for our family, including a fantastic German chocolate cake for my birthday.
• The wonderful coaches who are helping me be healthier, physically and mentally, including improving my craft as a speaker.
• My husband’s willingness to tell the truth—to say what he sees in a way?that helps me feel encouraged, never discouraged.?
• Jesus Christ, whose love promises me that I am not alone, even in my darkest of hours.
• Airports, where you can find every single resource you may need, except for maybe fresh air.
• And, of course, treats and the people who make them––Cadbury chocolate eggs, Stan’s Donuts, See’s Candies, Pret a Manger hot chocolate.

Whether you celebrated Thanksgiving or not, I urge you to spend 10 minutes reflecting on what you’re grateful for, especially as it relates to the people around you who create an environment where you can grow.

Who are you grateful for this year?

What relationships create a foundation of support for you?

What resources do you have that you couldn’t live without?