The Connection Between Gratitude, Appreciation and Success, Part 2

We know that gratitude and appreciation are seen as positives universally, by most people in most cultures, faiths and nationalities.  It is something that is seen in children even when not taught or encouraged.  You might say that it’s baked-into humanity. 

Gratitude is a foundational attitude or mindset while appreciation is the outward expression of that gratitude.  We feel gratitude and express appreciation.  So gratitude generates appreciation, and in turn, appreciation strengthens gratitude. When a sense of gratitude is cultivated, the person becomes more attuned to the positive aspects of their life, leading to a natural inclination to express appreciation. Conversely, when that person actively shows appreciation, he reinforces his own feelings of gratitude and deepens his connection with others.  This is part of the social fabric that draws people together.

Thankfulness is Good for You

We also know that having an attitude of gratitude and consistently expressing appreciation has a positive effect on one’s physical, mental, psychological, spiritual, emotional and social well-being.  It’s like a tonic for the soul; a medicine that has been tested and confirmed by countless scientific studies.

1. Mental, Psychological, and Spiritual Health Benefits of Gratitude

Consider all the studies that showed how gratitude and appreciation boost mental, psychological and spiritual health. 

Gratitude boosts self-confidence. A study (Chen and Wu, 2014, pp. 349-362) that focused on athletes showed that the participants with high levels of gratitude received from their coaches also experienced an increase in self-esteem over the period of six months the research was conducted.

Gratitude improves patience.  A study (Northeastern University College of Science, 2014) conducted by a team of researchers at several universities looked into the phenomenon that led individuals to not value long-term gratification by favoring immediate rewards. Based on the study, participants who exhibited higher levels of gratitude over little things on a daily basis were more likely to be patient and sensible when it came to making financial decisions.

Gratitude improves resiliency. According to a study (Vieselmeyer et al., 2017, pp. 62-69), gratitude promoted positive outcomes after a traumatic experience and then helped study participants to establish resilience toward the adverse effects left by the negative encounter. 

Gratitude increases optimism. Based on a study (Peters et al., 2013, pp. 93-100), an intervention of gratitude helped those in the study to establish a stronger positive outlook in life.

Gratitude reduces materialism.  Instead of the pursuit of material things for short-term gratification, a study of gratitude (Polak and McCullough, 2006) moved participants’ focus toward intangible but more valuable things in life which contributed to overall well-being, such as accomplishing goals, fostering healthy relationships, nurturing career growth, and maintaining a positive outlook in life.

Gratitude increases a willingness to forgive.  According to a study by Lourdes Rey and Natalio Extremera from the University of Malaga in Spain (2014, pp. 199-204), gratitude helped foster interpersonal motivations to forgive and increased their optimism and emotional intelligence.

Gratitude enhances vitality.  A study (McCullough et al., 2002) showed that high-energy individuals shared similar traits with people who exhibited high levels of gratitude, which meant that at the very least gratitude and vitality were strongly correlated.

Gratitude enhances spirituality. Studies have found that individuals who are more spiritual / religious also have the tendency to exhibit more grateful behavior.

2.  Emotional Benefits

There have also been many studies looking at the emotional benefits of having an attitude of gratitude.  Like positivity, there are measurable benefits to being a thankful and appreciative person.

Gratitude improves mood.  Studies found that gratitude played a significant role in enhancing positive emotions. By expressing gratitude on a regular basis, the focus shifted to the positive aspects of the day, which lifted participants’ frame of mind and spirit.

Gratitude helps manage grief.  Studies found that grieving with gratitude helped those who had suffered a loss to get through times of sorrow. While grieving was still a painful process, gratitude helped them appreciate what was past and value even more the things they still had.

Gratitude couches memories in a positive light. While unpleasant memories can be haunting, studies on gratitude (Watkins et al., 2008) found that it could transform negative memories into positive ones through the power of grateful processing that aimed to bring closure to the unpleasant events that had fueled the negative recollections.

Gratitude contributes to happiness.  Several studies (Emmons and McCullough, 2003; Seligman et al., 2005) confirmed that exhibiting the attitude of gratitude was associated with happiness triggered by having a stronger sense of appreciation for rewards, kindness received, and other positive aspects of life. By exercising gratitude through journaling, long-term happiness was enhanced by more than 10%.

It would make sense that with so many individual benefits to gratitude, a thankful attitude would surely impact success, even if for no other reason than people who are confident, patient, resilient, optimistic, forgiving, faith-filled and happy are absolutely more likely to succeed in the career of their choice.  But beyond that, studies found a cause/effect relationship between gratitude and success.  Here are just a few ways.

The Professional Benefits of Gratitude

Many studies that have examined the impact of gratitude on givers and recipients of appreciation found a profound relationship between thankfulness and success.  The goal was to determine if there was a cause/effect relationship.  While it was impossible to gauge which came first, there was clearly at least a correlation between gratitude and success.

Gratitude improves retention. A study (Glassdoor Team, 2019) conducted by Glassdoor showed that 53% of employees claimed they were willing to stay longer in a company if their boss appreciated them more. Meanwhile, another study (Lipman, 2017) found that 66% of employees were willing to quit their job if they felt unappreciated.

Gratitude enhances productivity. According to Glassdoor’s survey, 81% or four in every five employees were more motivated to work harder when they felt that their work was appreciated by their boss and/or employers. Meanwhile, less than 40% of employees felt that they needed to work harder due to their bosses’ demands or fear of losing their jobs (Glassdoor, 2019).  So employees who felt appreciated did more for their employer, which in turn likely helped them achieve greater career success.

Gratitude enhances management capabilities. A study (Emmons and Crumpler, 2000) found that practicing gratitude in the workplace helped shape employees to become more efficient managers or leaders. Appreciated managers did better at expanding their network, fostering employee trust, and increasing client loyalty.  And in doing so, they then achieved greater career success.

Gratitude improves decision-making skills. Making important life decisions requires time and patience. According to a study from Northeastern University, practicing gratitude was an effective way to help professionals increase their patience, which then helped them make logical and sounder choices in different aspects of life.  In short, an attitude of gratitude and greater appreciation made room for wiser decisions.

Gratitude cultivates a sense of fulfillment.  A study (Dik et al., 2015) found that the practice of gratitude in the workplace helped employees find meaning and purpose because of the genuine appreciation they received from the work they did.  Employees who find purpose in what they do and think their work is meaningful are more likely to succeed.

Gratitude not only reduces stress and improves health, it also helps develop a stronger sense of individual value. By improving self-esteem, the need for social comparison is reduced. So rather than being resentful toward people who may seem to have it all, it becomes possible to appreciate their accomplishments.  It allows people to cheer when others thrive and celebrate when they do well.

And, it appears that gratitude is spontaneous.  For many children innately express gratitude without any prompting, and this “gratitude muscle” continues to develop throughout childhood unless it is interrupted. Simply put, gratitude is part of the human experience, and cultivating gratitude is beneficial to all aspects of our lives! 

Perhaps the best thing is not to question if there is a cause/effect relationship between gratitude and success, but rather accept that it is so and embrace it.  Like chicken soup, even if it doesn’t help, it can’t hurt.  As we head into the next year, embracing an attitude of gratitude and taking time to express that appreciation in full just might be what’s needed to make 2025 an even more successful year.  Oh, and thanks for your readership!

Quote of the Week
“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” Brian Tracy

© 2024, Keren Peters-Atkinson. All rights reserved.

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