Sep 25, 2026 · Theme of the week: Gratitude

Feeling Friday - Edition 38

Feeling Friday

Theme of the week: Gratitude

Earlier this week, I shared how easy it can be to achieve something meaningful and immediately begin chasing the next goal without fully appreciating what we have accomplished.

We often focus so heavily on the outcome that we overlook everything it took to get there. A promotion becomes a new job title. A degree becomes a piece of paper. An award becomes something placed on a shelf. When we only look at the result, we can forget how significant the achievement truly was.

This week’s practice is about looking beyond the outcome and finding gratitude for the process.

Mindset Activity: Process and Outcome

Think of one outcome you have achieved that you are proud of. It could be earning a degree, receiving a promotion, winning an award, reaching a fitness goal, or accomplishing something personal.

Write that outcome down.

Now, identify two or three things you had to do consistently to make that outcome possible.

For example, earning a university degree may have required you to:

1. Show up to classes five days a week, even when you were tired or unmotivated.

2. Read more than 30 academic books, articles, and studies.

3. Collaborate with your peers and contribute to challenging group projects.

Now, take a moment to look at how much you actually did.

That degree represents far more than the piece of paper you received. It represents the days you showed up, the knowledge you gained, the challenges you worked through, and the person you became throughout the experience. We cannot take all of that hard work for granted.

Be grateful for the outcome, but also be grateful for the process that made it possible. Be grateful for your effort, your commitment, and the version of yourself that kept moving forward.

Sometimes, the outcome will not work out the way we hoped. We may not receive the promotion, win the award, or reach the exact goal we had envisioned. But even then, we still have the process. We keep the lessons, the skills, and the growth that came from trying.

The outcome may not always belong to us, but the person we become along the way always will.

This weekend, take a moment to appreciate how far you have come. Do not only celebrate what you achieved. Be grateful for everything within you that made it possible.

Stay strong, even when you are not. It’s okay, you are not alone.

With love always,

Michael Argyrides

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