Thanksgiving shows up every year right on time - just when you’re juggling renewals, chasing year-end quotes, and trying to hit your goals. Gratitude might feel like something you don’t have time for. But here’s the thing: the most successful producers and risk advisors don’t stop at being thankful. They move beyond it.
Because gratitude isn’t just something you feel - it’s something you use.
Turning Gratitude Into Action
Have you ever heard that the best ideas live where heart meets hustle? Or that knowledge without action is wasted potential? Combine those two ideas and you’ve got the truth about gratitude: it only matters when you put it to work.
So, before Thanksgiving, turn appreciation into motion.
- Call a client - not to sell, but to thank them for trusting you.
- Write a note to the underwriter who made your deal happen.
- Send a quick message to the colleague who helped you through a tricky renewal.
- Take your Centers of Influence– those who sit on your personal board of directors and often refer business your way - out for coffee, pie, and appreciation.
Unspoken gratitude doesn’t build relationships. Shared gratitude does - and in this business, relationships are your brand.
Deepening Appreciation
When you take a breath and look back at the year, gratitude sharpens your perspective. Every rejection, every tough negotiation, every piece of feedback - those weren’t setbacks; they were training sessions.
Be mindful of what went right, but also of what made you better. The clients who challenged you probably made you sharper. The losses taught you more than the easy wins. That’s not a cliché; that’s a producer’s edge.
Transforming Frustration Into Growth
This profession is built on managing other people’s risks - but your own mindset is the biggest risk you manage every day. Let go of the frustration, the burnout, the resentment that creeps in after long hours. It doesn’t serve you or your clients.
Give yourself the same compassion you give others. Refill your energy. Refocus your purpose. Gratitude clears the mental clutter and reminds you why you started: to protect, to advise, to help people navigate what they can’t control.
The Bigger Picture
To move beyond gratitude is to realize this isn’t a solo game. You depend on clients, underwriters, service teams, and COIs/referral partners - and they depend on you.
So, this Thanksgiving, don’t just say you’re thankful. Show it. Turn gratitude into trust, trust into opportunity, and opportunity into growth.