The science behind gratitude and how to design more of it into your creative life
What are you most thankful for?
Spoiler Alert: Survey says it’s not "work"
Back in 2020, a survey of over 1,200 Americans by Lifeway asked this very question.
The Top 10 results from most thankful down:
Family (84%)
Health (69%)
Friends (63%)
Memories (63%)
Personal Freedom (53%)
Stability (47%)
Fun Experiences (45%)
Opportunities (42%)
Achievements (33%)
Wealth (21%)
There’s a pattern most interesting from these results.
Do you see it?
No where on the list can the words “job,” “career,” or “work” be found.
I’d say there’s a disconnect here between the thing we spend a third of our lives doing and the things we’re thankful for.
And it go me thinking…
How important is it to be grateful as a creative pro?
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Let’s dive into:
What gratitude is
What the science says about gratitude and its benefits
The importance of gratitude as a creative pro
How we can improve our gratitude at work
What is Gratitude?
I bet you’re polite. I bet you hold open the door behind you, help little, old ladies cross the street, and say “thank you” whenever appropriate.
But gratitude is a step beyond the polite.
Gratitude can present itself as a feeling, an emotion, or a mindset.
To be grateful is to acknowledge something in a positive way and to accept that positivity into how you perceive the world.
Gratitude is then a mode of perception.
Take the following two sentences:
I have to work today on a project at the office.
I get to design a project today that will inspire those who ultimately use it.
Both can be true. But only one of them is outwardly grateful.
There is a joyful light to the second mindset that elevates the creative process beyond making a widget. The grateful mindset is one of optimistic service.
The Science of Gratitude
Gratitude isn’t just a practice for those who are already happy.
In fact, several studies have shown that gratitude can be a factor to increasing happiness in our lives.
It can improve our mental and physical health as well.
According to Psychology Today, grateful people:
Feel less pain
Feel less stress
Suffer insomnia less
Have stronger immune systems
Experience healthier relationships
Do better academically and professionally
That means that gratitude can make us more resilient in both the short and long term.
Gratitude as a Creative Pro
I’m an Architect. As an Architect I’ve dedicated my time to learning a creative craft and using it to make things that help people.
As I gain more experience, I lose the need to prove myself.
I’ve naturally become more grateful of what I’m able to do as I get older. I realize that I’m fortunate to have an opportunity like practicing architecture.
For me, that gratitude comes from two places:
First, I recognize that I have been afforded a great opportunity that many others have not. I went to a great school. I’ve had several great jobs. I’m making things every day.
Second, I recognize that every project and its respective cast of characters is unique and fleeting. I will never work on the same project twice. I will never have exactly the same team working with exactly the same consultants, owners, stakeholders, etc.
Combined, these two ideas continue to fuel my gratitude each day I get to go to work and play in the sandbox that is Architecture.
How to Improve Your Gratitude at Work
If you want to be more grateful, you need to practice gratitude. It’s simple, but not always easy. Here are a few ways to get you started on the gratitude journey.
Check in With Yourself at Project Milestones - As a phase of a project ends, take note of who you get to work with, what you’ve accomplished recently, and who you’re thankful for as part of the process.
Focus on a Person’s Intentions - A gamechanger for me personally. I know that someone will likely make mistakes on my team during the course of a project. But I also know with 99.9% certainty that they didn’t do it on purpose. Whenever something goes awry, consider the intentions of the person affected and keep things in perspective. No sense crying over spilled milk.
Verbalize Your Appreciation of Team Efforts - If someone has a positive contribution to a project, solves a difficult problem, or makes a concerted effort to help the process, make sure they know they’re appreciated. Bonus points if you say it out loud and in front of others.
Write Thank You Notes - Pick a cadence such as the end of the year or the end of a project and write out the reasons you appreciate someone you’re working with. Try to make it specific to an experience you’ve both shared rather than a generic boilerplate thank you.
Thank Someone Mentally - If you don’t have time in the moment or the person is unavailable, make a mental note that you’re grateful for them. The positive effect of saying this to yourself will resonate into your work.
Journal Your Gratitude - Dedicate a journal for gratitude specifically and write a line or passage in it every day about something you’re grateful for. Alternatively, dedicate an entry in your regular journal every now and again to gratitude.
Pay it Forward - One of the reasons I’ve been successful in my career so far is because of those who took the time to mentor and help me. Gratitude can come in many forms, but one of the most effective ways to express it is to help someone who is behind you move ahead. Volunteer for study groups, career days, or 1-on-1 chats that could make all the difference in their journey.
Gratitude is a path to better mental and physical health.
And not for nothing, it feels damn good to be grateful.
“Work” may not be explicitly at the top of everyone’s lists of things they’re thankful for.
But I assure you that if you prioritize gratitude, it will pay for itself ten times over.
Gratitude will improve the dynamic you have with work, the people you work with, and the creative energy you bring into the world.
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TL; DR
Gratitude isn’t just good manners.
Gratitude can improve mental and physical health
Express gratitude for the projects and teams that will never be the same
Build up your gratitude through check-ins, verbal/written expression, and paying it forward
Recent Finds
💡 Ideas from the creative wilderness to help you build a better life.
Mindset
Gary Vaynerchuk — Practice Gratitude Everyday (Short) | Mr. Gratitude and Hustle himself, Gary Vee, out here keeping it real. It’s easy to get distracted by the annoying, frustrating things in our lives. But with 8 billion people in the world, there will always someone else who is dealing with something worse than you. If you’re reading this right now, you’re one of the fortunate few who get to live a life of opportunities many will never have. Seize the day. Take those opportunities. Be grateful for every moment.
Self-Development
Simon Sinek — How do we get out of our own way? (Reel) | An insightful observation about service. Service to others is one of the fastest paths to improving our own lives. It feels completely counterintuitive. But by helping someone else solve that same problem in their life (e.g. finding a new job, becoming a better leader, find love), we’ll learn more about how to apply the answers to our own lives.
Habits
Ryan Holiday (via Daily Stoic) — You have to get up early (Short) | The more I try different versions of productivity schedules, the more I believe in the power of waking up early. As a night owl for the majority of my life, it’s only in the last few years that I’ve realized how much more brain power I have at the beginning of my day. When your day wears you down, it doesn’t matter how long you stay up late. Those hours will always be reduced in creative quality. It’s hard to get up early. It’s not fun. But it’s such a powerful unlock to make progress towards your goals.
A Quote I'm Pondering
💬 Motivation for the days ahead of you.
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity … it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
—Melody Beattie
Thank you for reading! I’m extremely grateful that you’re a part of this community and that you’ve taken time out of your busy schedule to read this week’s newsletter. 🙏
That's all for now.
Stay creative, my friends—and have a great week!
