Prosper On: The Value of Giving Thanks

I love technology. I’m geeky enough to get excited when the MicroCenter Computer catalog is waiting in the mailbox. But I was frustrated enough to contemplate smashing my @#$%^&! iPhone to bits recently. It was slow updating the map function and I missed an exit. Then when I pushed the magic Siri button and spoke instructions, the tiny woman inside my phone couldn’t understand me through my clenched teeth. She kept saying, “I’m sorry Mr. Morrison but I don’t understand.” I was so angry about my technology not delivering what I needed – right now!

It feels pretty silly and immature to admit my severe frustration over such a minor inconvenience. After all, I was holding a tiny computer in my hand that gives me nearly instant access to all the information in the world. It can connect to a satellite in space telling me exactly where I am on the earth and even what exit to take (most of the time). And it cost me less than $200. In that moment my frustration overtook my gratitude for such an incredible piece of technology.

“Without gratitude, happiness is a rare thing. With gratitude, the odds go up dramatically that happiness will be the result,” says the author and speaker Zig Zigar. So as Thanksgiving Day approaches, I encourage you to really focus on counting your many blessings. My wise and beautiful wife challenged me to look at six areas of my life and take inventory of what I have to be thankful for. The areas were:

1. People – Not just my family, friends and clients but those who make my life better in ways I never think about. (Like the guy who keeps our elevators working saving me from walking up 11 flights.)
2. Experiences – Think about the wonderful experiences you may have had this year. For me, my fishing trip in Montana where I caught dozens of beautiful trout was a wonderful experience.
3. Physical – My Achilles gives me occasional trouble and I think my big toe is still broken but those pale in comparison to the stage-four cancer I had 16 years ago that thankfully has never returned.
4. Trials – Admittedly, there have been challenges this year. The perfect year is unusual, so we must learn to gain strength and grow from the hard stuff in life too.
5. Spiritual – This is a great source of strength and peace in my life.
6. More – Consider all the other things that contribute to your health, wealth and happiness; however small or trivial they may be. It’s easy to take things like a phone for granted, but without it, I would need to keep a foldout map in the glove box.

You, our clients and our friends, are certainly high on our list of blessings. Thank you for all you bring to our work and lives. It’s a privilege to help you prosper on and achieve your most important life goals. Thank you for the trust and confidence you place in us.

I want to leave you with the words of Darren Hardy:

“Think about all you have to be grateful for. Some of the happiest people I have ever met are those who have comparatively few accouterments to be happy about. When you feel gratitude, you cannot feel fear or worry at the same time. Gratitude washes it all away. If you are reading this, you’re breathing and above ground, so you have many blessings to be grateful for—just remind yourself at any moment you want to feel happy.”

From our family to yours, have a wonderful Thanksgiving.