Recognizing Your Accomplishments Is More Than Just A Feel Good Activity

I’m not going to share anything new here. You’ve probably already seen the recommendation to be grateful. You’ve heard that you ‘should’ write down five or ten things you are grateful for every day. It will put you in a better mood, help you focus on the positive, raise your vibration, etc. For a year I wrote down one good thing every day. I reviewed these, “one good thing” notes and actually found this to be an incomplete picture. All these good things did happen and I was grateful for them but I am a firm believer that learning happens when we overcome perceived obstacles. This year of gratitude left out the obstacles and the learning.

Now, instead of a gratitude journal, I recommend recognizing your accomplishments. I love the etymology of words and in this case I have chosen my words intentionally.  

Recognize = Know Again, Re-Learn, Learn Again, Recall to Mind
Accomplishment = To Complete, Something you have completed (to fulfill)

When you put these together you are learning again what you have completed. You are bringing back to mind the learning that lead to success. Studies have shown that we need to be exposed to a concept seven times to integrate it into our knowledge base. Recognizing your accomplishments is one more way to integrate the learning that has lead to your success. Doing so, like repeating drills on a soccer field, will create “muscle” memory for these positive activities.

Here’s an example:

Today,

• I reached out to three CEO’s of successes businesses to ask for an interview.
• I completed my weekly blog writing.
• I held an interview for a business owner for the book I am writing.
• Stayed calm in a frustrating situation.

​Not only do I feel good remembering and reliving the positive energy from these experiences but I see that I have been successful and the belief that I can do it again is created. In addition, I could go one step further to really drive the learning home and ask,

“How did I do it?”

Entrepreneurship and management can be both lonely and fast moving.  It is easy to bypass the “wins” because there is always something more to do.  But this would be a huge disservice to you and to your work. You are missing an opportunity to learn from your previous learning.  Recognizing your accomplishments allows you to see yourself as successful, even if you still have a long list of things to do.

What we focus on we create more of. Instead of focusing on that list of all that is yet to be done, focus on your success and create more of it.
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Every Friday I make a post of #FridayWins where you can share what you have accomplished. Add what you have accomplished in the comments below and create more success.