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What A Daily Gratitude Tracker Did To My Mindset.

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I’ve read the books of every self-help, inspiring person I could get my hands on. I’ve done the same in the podcast world too.

The topic of gratitude comes up almost every time. While I lied to myself and pretended I practiced gratitude, the truth was I didn’t – I just told myself I did.

Then one day, enough was enough. I realized I was taking my career for granted. I took the following three steps to practice daily gratitude:

1. I went into Microsoft Word and created a blank document called “Gratitude Tracker” and saved it on my desktop.
2. I set a calendar reminder for 9 am every day called “Gratitude Exercise.”
3. Without fail, every day, I entered in three things I was grateful for.

I used to think I was grateful.

This 3-step process taught me I was not. The feeling before and after is totally different. When you keep a gratitude tracker for a minimum of 30 days straight, you’ll notice a shift. I found myself becoming less greedy and my craving for material objects decreased.

I saw the simplicity in the world through crystal clear vision and the benefits that came with it.

I found gratitude in the smallest things.

Do you want to know what ended up in my gratitude tracker? Small things like fresh water to drink, lunches with clients and feeling valued in my team at work. Before having a gratitude tracker, I would never have found happiness in such small things.

Other things that showed up were:

– Finding a beautiful girlfriend
– My career
– Being able to overcome my fear of flying
– My mentors
– Drinking tea
– Having a blogging audience
– Overseas travel
– Nice text messages from family and friends

It forces you to look for the good.

I found out my career was down the toilet. On that particular day, I didn’t feel like seeing the good in the world. My habit of writing in a gratitude tracker forced me to.

“No matter what, I had convinced myself that not coming up with three things I was grateful for daily equaled failure”

I look everywhere in my life to find something that I could be happy about. Having to look so hard to find good made me realize that it’s actually pretty easy. Good is everywhere when we practice focusing on it.

This day was made much less challenging because of my gratitude tracker. My gratitude tracker became my emergency sanctuary that I could bask in like the sun when the thunderstorms of everyday life hit my little world – also known as my mindset.

Don’t overdo it.

Only list down three things in your gratitude tracker every day. Any more than that and you’ll get busy and then lie to yourself about not having time. Lack of time is a myth. Complication is what is truthfully stopping you from taking up these life-changing habits. Also, don’t write war and peace.

“This whole process should take about 45 seconds”

Overthinking and going into detail will force you to be lazy over time. Keep it “simple stupid” (an Aussie catchphrase).

What happens if you miss a day?

Don’t be angry with yourself – you deserve better. Just get back on the horsey and write double the list of things you are grateful for the next day. Feel free to mention things that you wrote down previously as being grateful for. The only goal when doing this is to write them in a different way.

Hearing the same thing over and over, said slightly differently, helps to reinforce it into the mindset you live your life with.

***Final words***

Gratitude only works when you practice it just like any “Success Habit.”

The self-help gurus may be exaggerating a lot of what success is but one thing they’re not wrong about is practicing gratitude. I’ve done my best to describe the feelings and changes to my mindset although ultimately you need to try it for yourself.

Fantasising about success will never get you close to it. Telling yourself to be more positive doesn’t really work either. Make gratitude be the vehicle you use to be positive and become successful in whatever pursuit you put your mind to.

Be bold. Be courageous. Practice gratitude.

If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net

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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
Image Credit: Midjourney

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
Image Credit: Midjourney

In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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