Shawn Anderson is a #1 ranked “Motivation” and “Self-help” author, international keynote speaker, and a results-producing people builder. His “go the extra mile” philosophy and ability to produce winning results have been praised by political leaders, Olympic Gold Medal and world record holders, and media outlets around the world. An entrepreneur since the age of 10 when he started a business selling worms to fishermen, Shawn has continued by building businesses and organizing events that make a difference in how people think.

What does being grateful mean to you? 
Being grateful to me is never failing to look for the light…despite the dark.

Not who we are expecting you to say but the first person that popped in your head. Who are you grateful for, and why? 
The author Og Mandino. A gentleman I never met, but his books sprinkled a little extra inspiration on my spirit.

How does gratitude play into going the extra mile? 
When we are grateful for our lives, it is automatic to desire to do MORE with them.

Where did the inspiration come from for your book, Amicus 101? 
I have been an entrepreneur my entire life. I have felt failure, struggle and rejection 1,000 times. Each of those 1,000 times was a chance to quit and choose the simple path, but never did I stop listening to the Whispers I heard in me to “Get Up…Again!” “Amicus”…the main character in the book…is the whisper to “Keep Going!” in all of us.

How does gratitude fit into chasing rainbows, building castles, and painting mountains?
Ahhh…to have the chance, the opportunity, the privilege to do something magical with our lives…how can one not be grateful for that?

You wrote once about sitting on a bench and thinking about everyone that sat on the bench before you. How do you see gratitude fitting into the interconnectedness of our lives now in this time of crisis that the world faces? 
When I sit on the bench and picture those who sat before me…yesterday or twenty years ago…I am reminded that life is fleeting…and not to waste mine being afraid to live.

In closing, what’s one lesson that you could share that could provide hope for people in this time of crisis and how could they use gratitude to bring that into focus.

Connect with Shawn on his weekly blog at ShawnAnderson.com