Which came first– gratitude or success?

Chances are that growing up you learned that the more success you would have in life, the happier you would be. Somewhere along the way I believed that too, so I set my life up to create the ultimate happiness. I accumulated it all– the degrees, the friends, a husband, a home, and the perfect dental career. Eventually I learned the joke was on me. I found myself living this successful life, but I was unhappy, and I couldn’t feel grateful for all of the wonderful “things” I had.

It turns out, success does not create happiness or gratitude. It’s actually the other way around. Indeed, the happier we are in life, the more success we will have. The same goes for gratitude. Research in the field of Positive Psychology has uncovered that the more gratitude we have, the happier we will feel, which will lead to more success in life.

How did we get this so backwards?

During the ten years I spent in clinical practice, I tried everything to fix my problems. I got therapy, read a ton of personal development, and worked with a career coach. Ultimately, I came to understand that I was living my life in the wrong career. I felt a lot of shame about my response to practicing clinical dentistry. I felt like a failure, an imposter, and I believed something was wrong with me. I judged myself because I couldn’t feel grateful for achieving all that I had hoped for. I began to question, “What was wrong with me?”

The answer is, there is nothing wrong with me… or you.

Whether you are in the wrong career, or you just have some things you need to sort out in your relationship with your career, it’s all part of the process. The trials and tribulations of our lives are precisely what help us appreciate the good times. They are exactly what help us gain the perspective we need to feel gratitude… which builds more happiness… which leads to more success.

This month I wrote an article on this very topic in the MDDS Articulator Magazine. In it, I share my philosophy and experiences on how we truly build gratitude and happiness. The path isn’t what you’d expect. Hop on over and have a look, and you’ll gain a tip or two to help you build your own gratitude and happiness muscles.

Click here and go to page 10 to read my article on gratitude and happiness!