Level Up Your Relationships with the Gratitude Challenge

I’d like you to take a step back for a moment and think about the people in your networks who have impacted you, either personally or professionally.

When was the last time you told them how much they influenced you or acknowledged them for their actions? Have you ever done so?

If you’re in the majority, you probably haven’t.

There’s a particular relationship-building exercise that has made a big difference in my own networks. It’s about giving back and extending gratitude to your connections who have played a distinctive role in your life. In fact, it’s such a valuable activity, it’s a significant component of our certification training course. And I invite you to take this on.

It’s called the 30-Day Gratitude Challenge.

Why You Should Do It

Many of us underestimate the significance of showing appreciation. So, guess what? Most people don’t do it. But you should. Because it will level up your relationships and deepen your connections.

I’ll bet there are a number of people within your spheres of influence who have helped you get to where you are today. If you can acknowledge an individual for something special, then do so. It may have a tremendous effect not just on your own life, but possibly on the lives of others.

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

William Arthur Ward

There are several reasons to want to extend gratitude toward someone: Who out of your contacts has provided an abundance of support and advice? Who has introduced you to key players in your industry?

Who introduced you to your significant other? What attributes of those in your networks have inspired you? Who has been your mentor? Whose habits have you successfully implemented into your own repertoire? You’ve probably already started a shortlist and could easily come up with more.

Not only does saying thank you typically make that person feel appreciated and good about themselves, but it also helps to deepen your bond. They’ll most likely embrace your extension of gratitude and then who knows? They might possibly reciprocate in some way.

Offering gratitude is a simple act that can have many positive effects. Studies show how expressing signs of appreciation rewires your brain and is beneficial in helping you lead a healthier life.

“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”

Zig Ziglar

How to Perform the 30-Day Gratitude Challenge

I’ve personally seen how performing this 30-Day Gratitude Challenge has strengthened a few of my own relationships and opened doors to a couple of business opportunities. It’s a simple task to do! And how it works is pretty straightforward:

• For 30 days you acknowledge a different person each day who has been a positive influence in your life; you’ll recognize each individual for their impact by extending a thank you or other act of gratitude.

• You don’t have to do it for 30 consecutive days, but it’s a good idea to keep the days close together to keep the momentum going. Decide exactly when you’ll begin the challenge and get yourself in the right networking mindset to ensure you get the most out of it.

• Get started by putting together a list of 30 people you want to acknowledge who are not your direct family. Think about who has made a specific difference or affected you in a positive way.

• Write down notes about each person including attributes you admire, why you specifically want to extend gratitude toward them, and how you will do it.

• You can express your appreciation confidentially through an email, text, private message, handwritten note or you can do it publicly on social media. The method you choose depends on you and also the person. And you should consider the reason for the acknowledgment, so of course, it’s up to you to use your best judgment. Then do it!

Your first reaction may be there’s no way I’ll come up with 30 people! But once you stop and think about it, I’ll bet you’ll be surprised at how many you identify right off the bat. And then once you take on the challenge, you’ll find saying thank you and following through really goes a long way. We also developed a guide that you can download here to help make it easy for you!

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

Jim Ryun

Now, motivation helps you begin The 30-Day Gratitude Challenge but turning this activity into a habit is what will make you successful at completing it. Identify a specific time each day and incorporate The Power Half-Hour. This way you devote yourself to getting in the right mindset to extend your actions of gratitude.

Making it part of your routine makes a big difference. I recommend first thing in the morning when you’re most energized and before other distractions take place. And once you complete this challenge you can use this allotted time to nurture your relationship-building in other ways.

Learning how to extend gratitude and level up your networks is something we cover extensively in our online certification course. This training teaches you practical networking strategies and techniques you can immediately implement to build meaningful relationships. Once complete you become a NetWorkWise Certified Professional (NWW-CP) validating you as a networking expert who truly understands the significance of creating the right connections.

When you focus more on what you can give rather than what you can get, your relationships are brought to a new level. It may seem like common knowledge to recognize others for the impact they’ve made, yet for some reason, it’s not something people concentrate on enough.

Taking on The 30-Day Gratitude Challenge is a great way to increase the breadth of your networks — and open up new opportunities for growth. Are you up for the challenge?