“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.”
– Psalm 107:1 (NLT)
Thanksgiving week always hits me a little differently. It almost forces you to slow down just enough to hear your own thoughts again. And if you really listen, you’ll notice something powerful: most of the tension we carry, most of the frustration we feel, most of the stress we walk around with… all boils down to one question.
Do I HAVE to do this?
Or do I GET to do this?
Those two mindsets lead to two completely different lives. One shrinks you. One grows you. One drains you. One fuels you. Same work. Same responsibilities. Same circumstances. But radically different outcomes depending on the attitude behind it.
As I sit back and look over this past year, I can’t help but feel the incredible weight of gratitude. Not the light, fluffy kind of gratitude that sounds good in a social media post… but the kind that hits you in the chest. The kind that humbles you. The kind that makes you pause and say, “God, I don’t deserve all of this, but thank You for trusting me with it anyway.”
I GET to lead my family.
I GET to lead at Atlas.
I GET to speak on stages I used to dream about.
I GET to mentor hundreds of leaders, business owners, and teams.
I GET to see people grow, level up, and step into their purpose.
I GET to walk with people through their breakthroughs, breakthroughs they didn’t think were possible.
None of this is owed to me. None of it is guaranteed. And it’s definitely not something I steward lightly. With every conversation, every moment with my family, every coaching call, every team meeting, every podcast episode, every moment I get to influence someone’s life or leadership, my heart is grateful that I have been positioned here. That God trusted me with this assignment. That He took a guy who shouldn’t have made it this far and said, “I’ve got more for you.”
So what does gratitude really mean?
It means remembering that the blessings we carry today were things we once dreamed about.
It means recognizing that the responsibilities we have right now are signs of God’s trust in us, not burdens placed on us.
It means understanding that growth requires heavy weight – and gratitude is what gives you the strength to lift it.
It means choosing to see the good, even in the grind.
It means believing that everything you GET to do… is shaping who you are becoming as a leader.
This is the week to reflect. Not just on what you accomplished. But on who you became.
On what God brought you through.
On the doors that opened.
On the people you welcomed into your life.
On the challenges that stretched you.
On the blessings that surprised you.
On the moments that took your breath away.
And on the purpose that kept pulling you forward, even on the days you didn’t feel strong enough.
PLEASE, take a few minutes this week and really think. Don’t rush it. Don’t brush it off. Just sit quietly and ask yourself:
Where did God show up this year?
What did He carry me through?
What do I GET to do that I used to dream about?
You’ll be amazed at how much gratitude is sitting right in front of you.
Wishing you the best Thanksgiving ever. May your home and organization be filled with gratitude, joy, and the reminder that every breath you take and situation you lead through is a blessing you GET to experience.
Happy Thanksgiving!