Being successful isn’t just about all the wins you see when you look at someone at the top of their game. Success comes with many things, most of which is unseen, the hard times: all the stress, all the time lost with loved ones (yourself included), or being burned-out or just downright overworked. Sound familiar? Well, you didn’t envision that, did you?
A common mistake (almost too common) of becoming successful in business, is not taking the time to celebrate the small things. Read that again. The small steps it took to become successful are just as important as the major milestones. Yes, you landed a deal! Got a promotion! Even getting paid what you’re worth! All of which are milestones worthy of the best celebrations!
Do you ever feel something is missing? That you are only able/allowed to celebrate when you hit a MAJOR milestone?
What about all the in-betweens? The time you took to perfect your pitch and practiced for the presentation, maybe you didn’t get that one deal…but now that you made it do you remember what that presentation even was? No, you do remember the time spent along the way and the practice…well, did you ever celebrate that? No?…you should have! Without that dedicated time you would have never landed a big opportunity that came AFTER that. It’s all part of the path.
I am here to tell you and grant you permission to celebrate all the little things that got you to where you are at today! The little things, the small steps along the way has added up to the big milestones: the biggest client, the growth in your business, and that next BIG revenue leap! Again, you celebrated those huge milestones, but you should be celebrating all the steps along the way, including the detours. Both the good and the bad because without them you wouldn’t have hit your milestones AND you will experience maximum stress that almost always leads to burnout.
Sometimes we overlook the progress on the projects we have been working on…from the short term to the long-term projects. The proposal creations. The client relationship building. The bonding with teammates. Even those clients you lost. The rejections or push back from the team members or your executives on ideas. All of these, I repeat, all of these things are the IMPORTANT small things that we need not forget.
I have learned that we must celebrate the path to get to the milestones. Not only for ourselves but also for our team. There are so many ways to celebrate – dinner with the team, or friends outside of work, a luncheon, an outing with the team to bond more, a specialty coffee break surprise, or even something as simple as a card of appreciation or a recognition to the masses. Celebrate with your team – celebrate them for their hard work and for the road you are on to accomplish the milestones!
Now, if it’s something you are proud of for you, celebrate you the best way you can. Yes, I am giving you permission to celebrate you! Your report/proposal/agreement is completed – celebrate. You hit a deadline – celebrate. You had a breakthrough with a difficult client or teammate – celebrate. Whatever you have done that makes you want to pat yourself on the back…as silly as that may seem, do it!
If you get too bogged down in the work and only looking at the horizon for the next milestone, you will never learn to look at the present. You will never see the small steps that should be celebrated along the way. Don’t feel guilty about celebrating! You will only regret not taking time to see all the amazingness that got you to where you are – it will outweigh the little bit of guilt you may feel in the moment. Celebrate yourself and make the success you have accomplished a reason to keep moving forward…it’s what gives you the drive and reason to keep pushing forward.
CELEBRATE! Take time for yourself to take a day off, go on a trip, go get that pedicure, take yourself out to lunch/dinner, to buy that outfit, go paddle boarding, invest in a class on a topic you have been dying to learn more about… whatever makes you happy because you’ve earned it!
Posted in Inspiration & Insights