Gratification vs Gratitude
What you will get: Gratitude vs. Gratification
So which is more important to you…
Having what you want?
Or.
Wanting what you have?
You see…
Having what you want is all about feeding your gratification.
And your moments of gratification produce a dopamine rush, leading to TEMPORARY feelings of happiness.
So the addictive cycle of gratification, that sadly most people follow, goes something like this…
1. You want the new ______? (insert here any material object you want, such as iPhone, shoes, car, pen, handbag, etc)
2. You get it.
3. You get a temporary feeling of gratification (dopamine rush).
4. The feeling in 3. quickly fades.
5. That feeling is replaced by a desire for more gratification. So you start looking for/desiring a new material thing.
6. You get it.
7. More temporary gratification.
8. More emptiness and need for more.
9. Keep on repeating for life.
And the sum total of this?
Short bursts of apparent happiness, but overall a feeling of emptiness and longing for something more.
Now back to part 2 of my initial question…
Wanting what you have.
This is about gratitude, a completely different animal to gratification.
Wanting what you have is about…
Appreciation of the small things that matter.
Acknowledging the non-material things you value most.
Embracing the special moments of love and sharing in your life.
In sum, gratitude.
And when you experience gratitude, you get increased levels of serotonin flowing through your body.
And this leads to lasting feelings of happiness and fulfillment.
And it’s not addictive like gratification.
So it doesn’t leave you feeling empty and always wanting more.
Back to my original question…
Which of these is most important to you…
Having what you want? (gratification)
Or.
Wanting what you have? (gratitude)
I’m off to feel grateful for some of those important things in my life and boost my serotonin levels.
How about you?
To your success.
P.S. Have you contacted me about how you can become a Master of Your Limbic System yet?
Class VII of my Masters in High Performance Leadership starts in just 4 weeks time and places are limited–so email me at steve@stevenealeinternational.com now to set up an informal interview with me today.
Steve Neale
“Europe’s Leading Expert on Personal and Professional Growth”
Psychologist, Executive Coach, EI Practitioner, Award Winning Trainer, International Author, Psychodynamic Therapist, Hypnotherapist, Mindfulness Instructor, International Speaker, Creator of the LPS, Creator of the Accredited Masters in High-Performance Leadership
