Jon Gold, M.A | Go 4 Gold

Gratitude = Game

Thanksgiving was this past Thursday and some of you may have had the experience of being put on the spot when it was your turn at the table to share something you are thankful for. Were you prepared?  Did it take some time to think of something to say? Did the person before you “steal” the thing you were going to say!? 

If this was you, no judgement – we’ve all been there before. But this why I write this. The true feeling of being grateful comes only with repeated gratitude practice over time.  You aren’t born grateful, it takes training.

Gratitude is more than a fleeting statement we make one day out of the year. Gratitude is truly about appreciating the opportunities and privileges we have (to varying degrees depending on the person of course.) It creates the perspective of noticing what we have rather than constantly focusing on what we don’t have and/or what we “need.” When we develop the tool of gratitude it can be useful in the realm of performance.

Here are a few gratitude statements in performance:

1. Being grateful for feeling stress because it means you are engaging in something important. 
2. Being grateful for your slump as it provides a tremendous opportunity to work through adversity and come out of it
3. Being grateful that coach is holding you accountable as it promotes professionalism and ownership 

Notice in these examples that there is a why behind each expression of gratitude. Knowing why you are thankful is just as important, if not even more important than the expression itself. In all three of these examples it would be easy to empathize with the difficulty and challenge, however, its likely most helpful to focus on the opportunity side. 

My challenge for you:

Level 1: Start expressing 1-3 things you are grateful for (AND WHY) everyday  

Level 2: Incorporate gratitude into your performance routine. Whether it be  pre-game, in-game, or post-game, expressing gratitude helps you move beyond pain and get back to feeling fulfilled and content in the moment. 

Want some help building a routine or bringing gratitude from the thanksgiving table into your everyday life and game? Let’s work together. Contact me here: https://go4gold.net/private-coaching/

Be well,

Jon Gold

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