Take Time to Reflect and Be Thankful of the Distinction You Have Achieved

As the year winds down and Thanksgiving draws near here in the United States, it is essential to reflect on all the things you are grateful for — both personally and professionally.

We get so caught up in our day-to-day tasks, sometimes we forget what really makes us distinctive. Take some time during this Thanksgiving break to be sincerely appreciative for your accomplishments, reflect on how far you’ve come, and be proud of what you have achieved!

As we frequently discuss, it’s critical to have meaningful differentiation from your competition in today’s business world. However, this adversarial situation with others should never mean that we focus so intently on our rivals that we fail to be introspective enough about our achievements.

Gratitude is the foundation of growth. Oftentimes, our gratitude for what we already have enables us to find the time and energy to seize new opportunities.

A few years ago, I related how my mentor, the late Grady Nutt, wrote a significant work on “Thanks-Living.” In other words, it’s not merely taking a day to overeat and watch football — instead, it means living the message of the holiday of Thanksgiving on every day.

This approach of “Thanks-Living” doesn’t mean you have become completely content with your surroundings. It simply means that “Thanks-Living” is a necessary step towards further growth and development as an individual or business.

If you aren’t grateful, the chances are high that you’ve become complacent. And if you’re not growing individually and professionally, then you’re not living up to your full potential!

Over the years, as I’ve interviewed and developed friendships with the most successful people in the world, I’ve learned they are grateful for their triumphs — and they learn from their failures. Iconic professionals understand that sometimes mistakes can be a blessing in…