Here is the right way to look at "Gratitude"

The conventional way everyone talks about gratitude, feels like a transaction.

"Pay" gratitude so that we can receive more. 

Is it a vehicle for success? Is it an an insurance policy. 

The logic goes: 

"If I am thankful now, the Universe/God/Life will guarantee me more blessings later."

We are trying to empty our cup so it can be filled again.

But today, a different realization dawned on me. I was at the gym.

Gratitude isnt a strategy to get more.

It is humbleness. It is a realization that we have received far more than the math suggests we deserve.

The Uncertainty of It All

Life is fundamentally unfair and wildly uncertain.

 There is little that is guaranteed, regardless of our effort.

We like to think we control the outcome, We don’t.

* Accidents happen to good people on their way to sign billion-dollar deals.

* Championship games are lost by the best players in history due to a single bad bounce.

* Brilliant lives are cut short simply because a rare disease expressed itself in the DNA.

Gratitude is the realization that, despite this chaos, you are still here. 

You have received something, when there was a very high statistical probability that you wouldn't.

Sure, you can flip the equation.

You could argue that you *should* have received more, or that you’ve had bad luck. 

Both can be true.

But gratitude is looking at where you are today—standing, breathing, capable—and realizing that in a world where millions struggle for clean water or shoes on their feet, you have won the lottery.

The Anxiety of "Potential"

I struggle with this.

When I look at my life, I see gaps.

I see the capabilities I’ve have, and the opportunities I want. 

I am constantly working on self-improvement.

 Lately, I’ve been transitioning into a new role at an acquiring organization, and I’ve been plagued by anxiety.

Am I expressing myself fully?

Am I realizing my full potential?

I look at the CEOs of Amazon, Microsoft, or the Fortune 50, and I think:

I could do that. I could lead at that level. I am ready to put the work and 100x more.

The gap between where I am and where I think I *could* be makes me uncomfortable. 

It drives a restless anxiety.

But then I return to this new definition of gratitude.

I look at the places I’ve been. 

The small wealth I’ve been able to create. 

The books I’ve read. 

The countries i've visited.

I look at the family I came from, and the family I’ve built—my wife and two beautiful girls. 

I look at the support structure around me.

When I look at the data honestly, I can not help but accept that I have received a return on investment that far exceeds my input.

 Yes, I have ambition. 

Yes, I could lead a massive company and amass 100x of this. 

and I should continue working towards it.

But the point I have reached today is no small feat.

Gratitude isn't about asking for the next thing.

It’s a reflection on your own life, realizing that you have enough, and acknowledging that—despite the odds—you have been rewarded for your efforts in a fantastic manner.

Life is mysterious and we dont know where and when it ends. Gratitude is realizing you did your best but received far more. So many people, work hard even on the right things, and never get the results.

Here is a punch list to think this morning.

• If you can take a deep breath without pain, be thankful.
• If your body parts are functioning and you can move freely, be thankful.
• If you have a clear mind and the agency to think for yourself, be thankful.
• If you have a roof over your head to sleep under tonight, be thankful.
• If there is food on your table today, be thankful.
• If your parents are still alive to speak with you, be thankful.
• If you have brothers or sisters who care about you, be thankful.
• If you have a partner who understands you and stands by you, be thankful.
• If you have children who love you, be thankful.
• If you have even just two friends you can call in a crisis, be thankful.

and you have all of the above, you should be exceptionally thankful, because you a lot of people dont have these.