Gratitude Is a Superpower—When You Use It Right

As the Thanksgiving season approaches, its ’easy for leaders and professionals to treat gratitude as a polite box to check an annual thank you email to clients or a quick moment of

appreciation before the next meeting. But gratitude isn't just good manners, its good strategy.

Science shows that gratitude changes how we think, work, and lead. It sharpens performance, strengthens relationships and improves resilience in ways no productivity app ever could. And as it turns out, gratitude isn't just about being thankful

it's about how you *practice* thankfulness.

After fifteen years of studying and writing about the subject, journalist Jessica Stillman distilled three lessons worth carrying far beyond the holiday table.

1. Gratitude rewires your brain

Every time you focus on what's going right, your brain builds new pathways toward optimism.

Neuroscientists describe it simply: *“neurons that fire together, wire together.”*

Gratitude works like a mental fitness plan. The more often you train your mind to notice small wins, the more naturally it leans toward problem-solving rather than panic. Over time, optimism becomes your brains default mode

-helping you stay steady in moments when others spiral.

For professionals navigating uncertainty, this isn’t fluff; it’s neuroplasticity at work

.

2. Gratitude supercharges performance

Gratitude isn’t just about feeling better—it’s about *doing* better. Studies show that people

who regularly practice gratitude are happier, more focused, and perform more effectively under pressure.

In one fascinating experiment, farmers who took IQ tests before and after their harvest scored13 points higher post

-harvest, when their stress had lifted. The takeaway: when our minds are more positive, our intelligence and creativity expand

In the workplace, gratitude has similar ripple effects. It boosts engagement, reduces turnover, and inspires initiative. When leaders show appreciation, they don’t just lift morale they elevate performance

3. Gratitude only works if it's real

A written gratitude list can start the process, but spoken gratitude is where transformation

happens. Expressing appreciation directly—especially face to face—creates authentic connection and reinforces the habit. The only real mistake is faking it. Forced cheerfulness or “toxic positivity "rings hollow. Genuine gratitude isn’t about ignoring what’s wrong; it’s about acknowledging what’s still right.

And the details matter. Instead of "I’m grateful for my team,” try “I’m grateful for how you stayed late to help finish that proposal.” Specificity turns a gesture into a genuine moment.

In business, we often chase the next metric or milestone, but gratitude shifts our attention to

what’s already working—the colleagues who support us, the opportunities we’ve earned, the growth we’ve achieved. That awareness doesn't dull ambition; it clarifies it.

So this Thanksgiving season, make gratitude more than a seasonal sentiment.

Make it a daily leadership practice. Write it. Speak it. Notice it. The more you do, the stronger it becomes—reshaping your mindset, your relationships, and your results.

Gratitude isn’t a nicety. It’s a superpower-available to anyone willing to use it with intention.

Inspired by insights from journalist Jessica Stillman's coverage of gratitude research on inc.com