Celebrate Small Wins

Celebrations are a large part of all our lives. 

We celebrate marriages, births and birthdays. We celebrate graduations and baptisms, the launching of a career, and the launch of a new business venture.  

These celebrations mark rites of passage. They value our commitment over time.  

While celebration is such a common part of our daily lives, it is surprising that we often don’t take the time to celebrate our small wins. Losing 5 pounds. Completing our to-do list. Finishing a report. Hosting a successful meeting.  

Maybe it’s because we think that these small wins aren’t worth a celebration. They don’t feel significant or big enough. These small wins are just milestones on the path towards a bigger goal.  

Or maybe we don’t want to get too excited about our small accomplishments in case the bigger goal doesn’t get accomplished. 

I know I’ve certainly felt that way. 

I started a business with my husband, Brandon, a little over a year ago. We’ve certainly had wins – we’ve formed partnerships within the community, landed contracts, launched workshops, sold courses, and we’ve had great feedback from clients. I couldn’t ask for more. 

And yet, at no point did I feel any of our accomplishments called for a celebration. I was happy, of course, but was it worth a celebratory drink or dinner? I wasn’t sure. In fact, I didn’t give it much thought. I was typically too busy looking ahead to the next milestone or goal I felt I needed to be accomplished. 

This is probably because when I think about progress, I often imagine achieving a long-term goal or a breakthrough. Many of us do. And while these accomplishments are great, they are also rare.  

Instead, we ought to have the same mindset about the goals in our lives as we have about children. 

With children, we celebrate their first step, their first word, their first time on a bicycle. We aren’t always throwing a party to celebrate each of these milestones, but we do take the time to pause and acknowledge each accomplishment. We also don’t immediately anticipate the next milestone either. We enjoy the moment for what it is.  

Our own goals are no different. They, like babies, are a new life we are trying to shape and grow.  

We need to take the time to celebrate them too. 

As a challenge this week, take a minute and think of a small victory you’ve recently achieved in your personal or professional life. Acknowledge how far you’ve come and let yourself enjoy your accomplishment, no matter how small.  

If you can’t think of anything, try setting a larger goal for the future with smaller incremental goals. Then, you can celebrate your wins as you experience them.  

If you need help with this process in your business or work life, you may want to try strategic planning. We do have a practical, hands-on course that will guide you through the process. We also have a FREE 30-minute consultation available. We are here to help.  

Best wishes, Lauren