Both words are subjective so let me clarify.
Gratitude is the ability to stop and be grateful for what you have, right now, with no judgment.
That last part may take the most courage.
Power is understanding what it takes to do the great things you want to do - sometimes at the
moment it is needed most or planning how to act when it will be needed next.
Power is often its strongest when it is mental power - not muscle.
Matt Haig offers, the most powerful moment in life is when you decide not to be scared any
more. This struck me as a better approach to the power we all have within us.
So, the odd couple exists, Gratitude without judgment and the Power to overcome fear - both
bound by the courage required to work well. Anyone who leads will recognize both.
I’ve often heard that everything you want is on the other side of fear. That saying doesn’t offer
how to cross that bridge from fear to what you want. Perhaps Haig’s idea is how to get there,
by addressing what scares you most and deciding that it doesn’t anymore.
What scares you most? At work, in your career, at home, with your kids, or with your spouse?
I recently worked with someone on this topic and we both came away with big Ah-Ha moments- just from working together. I encourage you to sit down and get to the heart of what scares you most. If you don’t recognize it, you will never be able to decide when it will not scare you anymore. Nor will you get too grateful for having gotten there if you are still tied to worrying about what other people think.
Personally, I struggle with both all the time. I’m human, I’m a high achiever, I get to work with
high achievers, and we often get stuck in the comparison machine. STOP! Everything out there will always be, ‘compared to what?’ and it often derails us from what is important to US!
Get clear on what is important to YOU - compared to no one else. Be grateful for what got you
here and have the power to do what is needed without being scared - because you are amazing- without comparing yourself to anyone!