--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Spend two minutes a day scanning the…" description: "\"Spend two minutes a day scanning the world for three new things you're grateful for. And do that for 21 days, The reason why that's powerful is you're ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bc/shawn-achor-6891_brain_spend-two-minutes-a-day-scanning-the-wor_414500.png" --- # Spend two minutes a day scanning the world for three new… ![“Spend two minutes a day scanning the world for three new things you're grateful for. And do that for 21 days, The reason why that's powerful is you're training your brain to scan the world in a new pattern, you're scanning for positives, instead of scanning for threats. It's the fastest way of…” quote by Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bc/shawn-achor-6891_brain_spend-two-minutes-a-day-scanning-the-wor_414500.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bc/shawn-achor-6891_brain_spend-two-minutes-a-day-scanning-the-wor_414500.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bc/shawn-achor-6891_brain_spend-two-minutes-a-day-scanning-the-wor_414500.png) > “Spend two minutes a day scanning the world for three new things you're grateful for. And do that for 21 days, The reason why that's powerful is you're training your brain to scan the world in a new pattern, you're scanning for positives, instead of scanning for threats. It's the fastest way of teaching optimism.” [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Regularly noting three gratitudes rewires the brain to seek positives, fostering optimism quickly. **In simple terms:** Gratitude practice builds optimism. Key Takeaway Practice daily gratitude for 21 days. Themes optimism habit mental health gratitude Mood inspirational practical Type motivational self‑help When to use this quote - personal development - stress reduction - team building - education Key Concepts neuroscience positive psychology Questions to Reflect On - How will you remind yourself to notice gratitude? - What changes might you notice after 21 days? A Different Perspective Consistency can be hard to maintain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Grateful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grateful/) [New things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-things/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) [Patterns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patterns/) [Positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Scanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scanning/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [You can eliminate depression without making someone happy. You can cure anxiety without teaching someone optimism. You can return someone to work without improving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/you-can-eliminate-depression-without-making-someone-happy-you-can/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [“One of the unique things about the human brain is that it can do only what it thinks it can do. The minute you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/one-of-the-unique-things-about-the-human-brain-is-that-it-can-do-only-2/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Anyone can be happy by simply training their brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/anyone-can-be-happy-by-simply-training-their-brain/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [One of the unique things about the human brain is that it can do only what it thinks it can do. The minute you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/one-of-the-unique-things-about-the-human-brain-is-that-it-can-do-only/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Constantly scanning the world for the negative comes with a great cost. It undercuts our creativity, raises our stress levels, and lowers our motivation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/constantly-scanning-the-world-for-the-negative-comes-with-a-great/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [I walked over, my eyes scanning Luna Blu, my house, and Dave's. But it was the building behind them, that empty hotel, that had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-walked-over-my-eyes-scanning-luna-blu-my-house-and-dave-s-but-it/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [The not-knowing is crucial to art, is what permits art to be made. Without the scanning process engendered by not-knowing, without the possibility of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/the-not-knowing-is-crucial-to-art-is-what-permits-art-to-be-made/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [We are constantly scanning for opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-johnson/we-are-constantly-scanning-for-opportunities/) [Peggy Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-johnson/) > [Long ago, men went to sea, and women waited for them, standing on the edge of the water, scanning the horizon for the tiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/long-ago-men-went-to-sea-and-women-waited-for-them-standing-on-the/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [With non-fiction writing I feel like I'm confined and driven by what actually happened. That makes the "plot". 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When you’re done, you have to step back and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/when-you-write-a-book-you-spend-day-after-day-scanning-and/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“What is different, and troubling, is that skimming is becoming our dominant mode of reading. Once a means to an end, a way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-carr/what-is-different-and-troubling-is-that-skimming-is-becoming-our/) [Nicholas Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-carr/) > [Essence of newspaper is the large size. You are a reader you're an eagle flying over the desert, you're scanning. You see the rabbit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ-wilcox/essence-of-newspaper-is-the-large-size-you-are-a-reader-you-re-an/) Russ Wilcox ## More by Shawn Achor > [Joy is something you can experience even when life is not pleasurable. Even in the midst of a long run, when your legs are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/joy-is-something-you-can-experience-even-when-life-is-not-pleasurable/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [Our daily decisions and habits have a huge impact upon both our levels of happiness and success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/our-daily-decisions-and-habits-have-a-huge-impact-upon-both-our/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [Beliefs are so powerful because they dictate our efforts and actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/beliefs-are-so-powerful-because-they-dictate-our-efforts-and-actions/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [Happiness is the precursor to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/happiness-is-the-precursor-to-success/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [Positive and engaged brains are a company's greatest assets. 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It also decreases stress and raises happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/research-shows-you-get-multiple-tasks-done-faster-if-you-do-them-one/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [The research says that being successful doesn't automatically make you happier, but being happier - being more positive - makes you more successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/the-research-says-that-being-successful-doesn-t-automatically-make/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [“Neuroscientists have found that financial losses are actually processed in the same areas of the brain that respond to mortal danger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/neuroscientists-have-found-that-financial-losses-are-actually/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [One of the most powerful forces in human nature is our belief that change is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/one-of-the-most-powerful-forces-in-human-nature-is-our-belief-that/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) [Explore all 96 Shawn Achor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) ## More Brain quotes > [The brain abhors discrepancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/the-brain-abhors-discrepancies/) [Vilayanur S. 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