This week, we studied gratitude, and I have been pondering how gratitude relates to success. I have first considered how the act of being grateful puts us in an abundance mindset. When here, we see all that we have to work with rather than all that we lack. We can see ourselves, our skills, talents, and resources as an answer to societal needs. President Thomas S. Monson encouraged us to have an attitude of gratitude. I believe this to mean acknowledging that all that we have comes from God. And if God has given us all, surely he expects us to use it for the betterment of his children. And if He expects us to use what he has given us, then surely He will guide us and direct us.
Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed with our own nothingness and despairing thoughts of how can I, just one, make a difference? Evan Williams of Twitter advises to "Be narrow: focus on the smallest possible problem you could solve that would potentially be useful. Most companies start out trying to do too many things." I think this quote is relevant to the influence and power of one. Perhaps we don't need to be distracted by the overwhelming thought that our idea has to solve the world's greatest problems. Perhaps if we can find one small, specific way to improve the world, that is enough. When we narrow our focus to one specific thing, we give more energy and power to it. This, combined with the powerful force of networking, can take that one small thing that we have to contribute and make it enough to make a difference.
One warning from Howard H. Stevenson and Shirley M. Spence of Harvard Business School is to be aware of what the world offers and what it demands in exchange ("Identifying and Exploiting the Right Entrepreneurial Opportunity For You," June 22, 2009).
Comments
Post a Comment