On this Thanksgiving week 2025 and episode #304 of the Take Flight Weekly Podcast, I want to revisit one of the most powerful performance basics in my entire playbook: gratitude. Not the soft, Instagram version. The real thing. The kind that rewires your brain and anchors you when life is chaotic. I will walk you through the story behind my personal affirmation that starts with the words “I am so happy and grateful,” unpack why I built it the way I did, and connect it to what the science of gratitude is proving right now. Then we will get tactical so you leave this week with a simple, elite-level gratitude strategy you can execute in five minutes a day.
Before we dive in, let me remind you of my purpose: to help you, the full-service, full-fee advisor and entrepreneur, become more productive and more fulfilled. Why? Because happy advisors and entrepreneurs produce more. Listen as if we are sitting together one on one. This is your coaching session.
In the fourth quarter of 2010, I was under real financial pressure. The business was hard, the numbers were tight, and I realized I had zero chance of winning if I did not get control of what was happening between my ears. My goal was simple. Keep my emotional frequency at 51 percent or higher. Slightly more optimistic than pessimistic. Slightly more solution-focused than problem-obsessed. Around that time, I was studying Bob Proctor and John Assaraf. They made one point that landed hard. Success starts in your mind long before it shows up in your bank account. They described affirmations as statements of truth you choose on purpose, then repeat until your subconscious accepts them as your new operating system. That made sense to me. So I wrote my own affirmation, and I have now said it tens of thousands of times. It has worked as both a prayer and a battle cry. What is interesting today is that the science has finally caught up with what many of us have felt for years. Meta analyses of gratitude interventions across hundreds of studies now show consistent gains in life satisfaction and mental health, and lower levels of anxiety and depression for people who practice gratitude regularly. Neuroscience work in the last couple of years shows that gratitude practices light up reward and regulation centers in the brain, and repeated practice can hard wire more resilient emotional patterns over time. It is not just a “nice idea” anymore. It is a proven performance tool.
Let me break down the anatomy of the affirmation I have used since 2010 and show you why it still works, especially in a market like we are heading into.
“I AM” Bob Proctor taught me that the two most powerful words you can speak are “I am.” Those words are not grammar. They are identity. Your subconscious does not argue. It accepts whatever follows. When you say, “I am overwhelmed,” your system goes to work proving you right. When you say, “I am calm, prepared, and capable,” it works just as hard to support that identity. The science is clear. Repeated self-statements can change patterns of brain activation and behavior over time, especially when they are tied to deeply held goals and values.
“So happy and grateful” I chose those two words on purpose. Happiness and gratitude are not trophies at the end of the game. They are inputs. They are a frequency you decide to live in, even when the scoreboard does not look the way you want. Gratitude in particular is a shortcut to that frequency. Studies from Stanford, Brown, and the Greater Good Science Center continue to show that regular gratitude practice improves mood, reduces stress, improves sleep, and even nudges people toward healthier choices. Super achievers do not wait for the external win to feel grateful. They use gratitude to stabilize themselves so they can keep executing.
“That money, success, and introductions” I wanted success in every part of my life. Not just GCI. Money, yes. Deals, yes. More importantly, the relationships and introductions that would open the right doors. The math of the business says your income is directly tied to the number of people you serve and the value you deliver. Gratitude keeps you focused on the opportunities you already have and the people already in your world, instead of obsessing over scarcity.
“Flow to me” I did not want to grind forever. I wanted flow. Not passive, sit on the couch and manifest flow. The kind of flow that shows up when your mindset, your actions, and your relationships are aligned. Gratitude keeps you in that lane. When you are grateful, you notice opportunities faster, you show up more present, and people want to help you. Recent research on cooperation and gratitude shows that grateful people are more likely to engage in prosocial, cooperative behavior that compounds over time.
“In ever increasing quantities from a myriad of different sources” That line is about compounding. The science backs it up. Newer meta-analyses of gratitude interventions across dozens of populations show small but reliable increases in wellbeing that build over time once gratitude becomes a habit, not a one-off exercise. In business language, gratitude is a flywheel. You stay thankful for what you have, which leads you to treat people better, which leads to more repeat and referral business, which reinforces your gratitude for the life you are building.
“For the betterment of all those involved” This part was non-negotiable. I never wanted success that only worked for me. I see my role as a fiduciary, not an order taker. Gratitude keeps you focused on contribution. When you anchor your affirmation in the idea that everyone must win, you align yourself with the kind of opportunities that have real scale and integrity. Clients feel that. Your team feels that. Your family feels that.
“My life is perfect” That line throws people. It does not mean everything is easy. It means I choose to see my current reality as raw material, not punishment. It is a refusal to live in victim mode. Gratitude takes the sharp edges off adversity without denying it. There is a growing body of research that gratitude helps people integrate negative events, reduce rumination, and find meaning after trauma or loss. When you declare “my life is perfect,” you are not lying to yourself. You are deciding to mine your experiences for lessons instead of excuses.
“Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better" That last line is pure 1% better math. High performers do not chase transformation. They commit to small daily gains. Gratitude helps you notice those gains. It keeps you from living permanently in the gap between where you are and where you want to be. Over time, those small, grateful course corrections stack into a totally different life.
Now let us pull in what the latest science is saying and translate it into something that matters to you as an elite level advisor.
What the science of gratitude is telling us now
Here are five fast truths from recent research:
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Gratitude improves mental health. Recent meta-analyses and randomized trials show that gratitude exercises, even brief ones like weekly “count your blessings” lists, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and increase life satisfaction across different populations.
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Gratitude changes the brain. New neuroscience summaries from 2025 show that gratitude activates reward and regulation regions in the brain and repeated practice can create more stable, positive patterns of activation. That is not mindset talk. That is hardware.
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Gratitude improves physical health and sleep. Reviews from Stanford and Brown point to better sleep quality, lower blood pressure, and more health-conscious choices in people who regularly practice gratitude.
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Gratitude strengthens relationships. Newer work shows that when one person in a family or team practices gratitude, both sides benefit. Parents who practice gratitude report better wellbeing and closer relationships with their kids. That applies to you and your clients too.
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Structured gratitude tools work, even in an app. Recent trials of app based, and journal-based gratitude programs show improvements in wellbeing, academic performance, and spiritual wellbeing in as little as six to ten sessions.
The takeaway is simple. Gratitude is not fluff. It is a proven lever you can pull to stabilize your nervous system, protect your relationships, and keep your business sustainable.
Elite producers use gratitude as a strategy, not an afterthought
Research on high achievers continues to show a common pattern. A large percentage have walked through serious adversity at some point in their lives. What separates the ones who become bitter from the ones who become elite is how they metabolize that pain. Gratitude is one of the main tools they use to do that. They do not wait for a cancer diagnosis, a market crash, or a personal loss to start appreciating what they have. They build the habit now so when adversity hits, the muscle is already there.
So here is the question I ask you this Thanksgiving week. Why would you wait for a traumatic event to wake you up to what is already good in your life? If you are walking through something hard right now, what is it trying to teach you? Are you willing to be grateful for the strength, perspective, and clarity it will give you on the other side?
Three gratitude habits for advisors who want a predictable and enjoyable life
Use this week of Thanksgiving to install or upgrade your gratitude system. Keep it simple. Pick three you will execute consistently.
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The sixty-second morning affirmation. Every morning, before you touch your phone, stand up, breathe deeply, and say your version of “I am so happy and grateful that money, success, and introductions flow to me in ever increasing quantities from a myriad of different sources for the betterment of all those involved. My life is perfect. Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better.” Say it like you mean it, not like a script.
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The weekly gratitude text or voice memo. Once a week, send one client, mentor, or team member a short text or voice note that says, very specifically, why you appreciate them. No pitch. No ask. Pure appreciation. Expressed gratitude is one of the fastest ways to deepen trust and connection.
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Gratitude reset in real time. When you feel your anxiety spike before a listing appointment, a tough conversation, or when you are scrolling headlines, stop for thirty seconds. Name three things you can be grateful for in that exact moment. Your health, your skills, your relationships, your future. Use gratitude as a pattern interrupt that brings your frequency back above 51 percent.
You have heard me say this many times. I coach to happy and grateful results, not production. Production is a lagging indicator. Execution of being grateful is a leading indicator. If you are miserable in your business, your body is sending a very clear message to the universe and to your clients. “Do not send me more business because it is all hard and miserable.” When you are grounded, happy, and genuinely grateful, your business expands with less friction. You attract more of the good. That is not woo woo. That is strategy. It sounds passive but it is not. Focusing on your frequency, your thoughts and how you are feeling creates the action you need for your desired results.
Have a wonderful holiday week with your family and friends.
