Is there someone that has helped you, but you just can’t seem to find a way to properly thank them? Do you want to show your gratitude in a more meaningful way than a text message?
A thank-you note is a thoughtful way to show your appreciation to those that have helped you, though in the tech-driven world we live in today, it has become somewhat of a lost art. People often feel that a thank you note will take too long, or they just don’t know what to say.
Read on to learn why thank you notes mean so much and how you can create the perfect thank you note for someone that has helped you achieved your goals. Plus, we’ll talk about some celebrities who have made writing thank-you notes a habit.
Humans love to be appreciated. It’s not just to inflate the ego, but because of a primal instinct to feel needed and to belong. According to Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, our need for self-actualization includes acknowledgment, appreciation, and respect.
Today, you may think it’s a bit arbitrary to send someone a hand-written note, but it’s important to thank the people who have been a part of getting to where you are, meaning those who have helped you achieve your goals.
For example, if you achieved the goal of getting fit with the help of a personal trainer, it would be quite thoughtful if you were to actually thank them, even if “it’s their job”.
Think of it this way: could you have done it without them? Even if you could have, they still took the time and energy to help you, when they could have been helping someone else.
In the workplace, a simple thank you goes a long way. You don’t need psychology to tell you that an appreciated employee is a happy employee, which improves the workplace, in turn, affecting sales and ultimately the success of a company.
People tend to shy away from writing thank you letters because they think it either takes to long or that it won’t really matter. Neither of those are true. A thank you note will only take a few minutes for you to write, but it will mean the world to who receives it.
This isn’t an Oscar speech, it’s not an extravagant list of everything someone has done for you in your life. All it takes is a few sentences about what someone did to help you, and why you’re grateful.
Don’t just rewrite the same message to everyone. Mention what they did to help you and how much you appreciate it.
If you can’t be sincere, there’s really no point in writing the thank you note at all. You don’t have to get sappy but express your true feelings of gratitude to them.
Thank You Note Example:
As an example, here is a thank-you note to a career coach that helped their client to achieve their dream-job that they are currently excelling at.
Dear Sam,
I am writing to you to express my gratitude for your help in our latest virtual event’s massive success. You were an essential part of us getting this set up on time and actually pulling it off without any technical hitches! For this, I am very thankful. If it weren’t for your guidance and determination, I don’t know how we would have done it. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Sarah M.
Fame isn’t an excuse to not show gratitude. Neil Armstrong wrote a thank you note to the EPU team that built his suit for the famous moonwalk.
Jimmy Fallon takes a comedic approach to the thank-you note but still brings it to your mind, nonetheless. Off-screen, he is known to send real and thoughtful thank-you notes to the people behind the stage, as well as each one of his guests.
The reason that there aren’t a lot of public examples of celebrities that write thank you notes is because these notes are meant to be personal, not be sold as paraphernalia or showed off.
Handwritten letters are not a thing of the past, especially as a sign of showing thanks. It’s a well-known fact that gratitude can change your perspective and overall mood. On the receiving end, gratitude is a confidence-builder that will undoubtedly make someone’s day.
When you’re writing a thank you note, remember to keep it brief, genuine, and thoughtful. It’s a simple gesture of gratitude for someone’s help in achieving your goal. Even celebrities send thank-you notes to those that have helped them! If they can do it, that means you can that the ones who have helped you achieve your goals!
Who will you write your next thank-you note to?
Michele Bailey is president and CEO of Blazing Agency and My Big Idea®. These two lines of business work congruently to support her clients’ success.
