GREAT Morning Everybody!
“In the big picture, perhaps we had to say no first so we could become sure of the yes we eventually declare.” – Alan Cohen
This week, I had the opportunity to fly to New York and participate in an interview with PBS that focused on my career path and the journey that has lead me to where I am today. One of the subjects we discussed centered on failure and the role decision-making plays in our everyday lives.
We make thousands of decisions per day and most are made unconsciously without any of us even noticing. We stop at red lights, look both ways before crossing the street, say hello to our friends and dive into the day’s tasks without thinking twice about it! What’s more, our current life circumstances are a direct result of the accumulation of decisions we have made. Indulge in too much junk food and the quality of your health declines. Spend numerous hours on social media apps per day and your work efficiency plummets. Lie to those who care about you and witness the obliteration of relationships you once held so close to your heart. The quality of our lives is directly correlated to the decisions we make.
I believe the most powerful freedom we have is our freedom to choose how we respond to all situations. Failure and adversity is inevitable in life. And gratitude is easy to cultivate when things are going well, but the gold lies in finding gratitude for the lessons that adversity teaches us!
In Man’s Search for Meaning, Victor Frankl describes his Concentration Camp experience in Nazi Germany. He spoke about a time when the SS took away 100% of his friend’s possessions. When asked if he brought anything else with him to the Camp, the man depressingly answered “no, you have taken it all” to which the SS replied, “Good, now you have nothing.” After vividly describing this horrific experience, Victor goes on to explain, “Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation.”
So where can you find gratitude in your most recent failed relationship, terrible work review or loss of a loved one? Gratitude for adversity IS the secret sauce!
Enjoy what comes of today!
With Gratitude,
Rob
