Thank you for teaching me to write thank you notes, Mom

With Mother’s Day coming up this weekend, I want to take the opportunity to share another one of the countless reasons why I love and appreciate my mom. My mom has shaped who I am, and I have learned some of life’s most important lessons from her. She taught me to be courageous, to stand up for what I believe in, to stare down my fears and to pursue my dreams. I am so grateful for these important lessons that have guided me throughout my entire life.

Another important lesson my mom taught me was to pay attention to the little things, because they matter more than we think. From an early age, my mom taught me to always write thank you notes. She taught me that something as small as writing a thank you note could make a big impression on people. Even though the gesture might be small, it represents something bigger – human kindness and gratitude. That habit stuck with me, and to this day as a CEO, I never skip an opportunity to send someone a hand-written thank you note or birthday card, whether it’s a peer in the industry, a fellow Intuit leader or an employee.

These seemingly small gestures have made a big difference. I recently sent a thank you note out of gratitude for an opportunity someone had given me, and when I saw her a few weeks later, she embraced me with a hug, looked me in the eyes and said it was the most heartfelt thank you note she’d ever received. She went on to explain that she had displayed it in her office in Washington, DC. When someone has this type of reaction, I always think of my mom, who has exhibited such acts of thoughtfulness and kindness throughout her life without exception. Knowing that the example she set, and the lesson that she taught has rubbed off on me in some small way makes me proud. To quote Maya Angelou, I’ve learned people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

We all get busy in our day-to-day lives, and have to-do lists to accomplish. But in the hustle and bustle, we are still people working with people. It’s the little things, wrapped in genuine empathy and thoughtfulness that go a long way. It is a lesson mothers across the globe seemingly display in their daily acts, and those of us who come from such love should seek to emulate in some small way. For me, remembering to take the time to send hand-written notes (in addition to my social posts and e-mail responses) is a daily reminder. It’s a simple, but powerful lesson that my mom taught me, and it has had such a big impact on my life in many ways, and for that I am so grateful.

Thank you Mom. I love you!