The Power of Gratitude: How Expressing Thankfulness Can Lead to Positive Relationships and Opportunities

In his book “The Education of a Value Investor: My Transformative Quest for Wealth, Wisdom and Enlightenment” Guy Spier writes about the importance of expressing gratitude and being thankful.

I’m still reading the book and enjoying it, but I had to stop to sum up what he writes about being thankful as I think it’s of vital importance. And as technology evolves it’s aven easier to do, so you don’t have excuses not to do it.

He notes that as he began to actively look for opportunities to thank people, he found that he truly did become more thankful. The more he expressed goodwill, the more he began to feel it. It’s addictive.

And why it’s addictive? Because you feel better.

It’s something that had been imprinted on my progressively over the years and it’s something I listed on my Life Lessons:

Give without expecting anything in return. Most probably, you’ll get it back in the future. But even if not, do it anyway. Don’t give expecting anything back

Being thankful is not only beneficial for the person on the receiving end, but it can also be addictive for the person expressing it. However, it’s important to note that the returns of being thankful may not be immediate. Spier writes that “it can take as long as five years to have a significant effect, so most people give up long before they reap the benefits.”