Ever noticed how ONE failure can wipe out a day of accomplishment?
You know the day that’s flowing, you’re feeling pretty good, getting great client feedback, having engaging conversations, feeling productive, and then your computer crashes, your kid gets sick all over you, your boss berates you, or you slip from your diet (btw, I hope you’re not on a diet!) and your whole day goes down the drain?
Here’s why…
Our brains are hardwired to focus on failure, and the reason being is that we only wanted to eat that poisonous berry once (or preferably learn from someone else’s mistake).
Repeating the same mistake could’ve meant death, so focusing on “failure” is an important survival mechanism. However, the formula for survival is NOT the formula for success.
To be successful, you must recognize and acknowledge your successes at LEAST as much as your failures – which are full of wisdom and very important lessons on the path to success if we let them.
Success is motivating. Success breeds more success. And capturing your successes is key to a winning personality and a successful, happy life.
However, this is much easier said than done for many of us who’ve been told things like:
Don’t get too big for your briches.
Be humble.
Celebrating your wins is arrogant.
You could’ve done better…. What happened to the other 20%, 10%, 0r 3%?
So, this new year, let all those old scripts go. It’s time to recognize, acknowledge and celebrate!
Those well-intentioned lessons likely came from people who loved you and were trying to motivate you into your fuller potential, but if they have you focusing on failures and keep you from acknowledging your successes, they’re holding you back and no longer serving you.
Take pen to paper and have fun recognizing and acknowledging yourself, who you were, how you showed up, what you overcame, what you crushed, and what there is to celebrate about yourself and your efforts.
Too often we brew over failures and ignore our successes, and then wonder why we feel like a failure.
This year, be different… Be humble, yet truthful. Be bold, yet graceful. Embrace your talents, skills, strengths and brilliance.
Make time to reflect, acknowledge, and celebrate your wins – the big and the small. See if you can get 100, and then keep the list going.
Start today.
Do it regularly, do it consistently, and let your spirit roar.