How Humility and Gratitude Go Hand in Hand
For entrepreneurs, humility and gratitude go hand in hand. This is because gratitude is a tangible strategy for creating sustainable business or sales success. I know this sounds a little “woo-woo.” I used to think it was. But I’ve discovered a surprising link between Gratitude and Ambition that every entrepreneur should know about. Like most entrepreneurs, I’m a workaholic. I’ll get up earlier in the morning than most people to work on a project, and I’ll stay up later than most people to do the same thing. But this level of ambition can also be a double-edged sword.
For example, I’ll sometimes work past the point of diminishing return. I’ll also push winning streaks long after the streak has lost its momentum. But I’ve noticed that some of my worst business slumps often come as a result of this. For example, winning streaks turn into losing streaks if you don’t let them settle. Temporary lulls in business can become slumps if you try to press on through them by working beyond your capacity to be productive. I normally do this out of fear that I’ll miss out on more wins, or that my slump will become permanent. I’ve also noticed that I overwork when I feel that I need to make up for a lost opportunity, or to “get back” time or money I feel like I’ve lost as a result of a bad decision.
All of these are examples of how a mere business or sales slumps turns into long a losing streak. I’ve lost many opportunities in my life by overworking this way. But, I’ve also found that there’s a way out of the temporary mental and emotional state which leads me into this pattern of self-sabotage. The way out of this cycle is to “practice” gratitude through meditation. The mental state of gratitude takes me out of the competitive and fearful state of being and allows my mind and body to recharge. Most importantly, it keeps me from becoming overconfident and from taking unwise risks or making impulsive decisions. This is how humility and gratitude go hand in hand to make you a more effective and fulfilled entrepreneur.
Goals and Progress
- December Income: $1,267 (December Goal $2,000).
- Bodyweight: 239.4lbs (Goal 185).
- Linkedin Connections: 9,560 (Goal 10,000).
