What are you celebrating this week?
These posts show up in my social media feeds every Friday, and I usually toss out something good that happened – I signed a new client, I scheduled a trip, I finished a big project – and then continue scrolling.
Like many entrepreneurs, no sooner do I achieve something I’ve worked a long time for than I check it off the list, wipe the imaginary sweat from my brow, and dive into the next goal or milestone. I don’t actually take the time to stop to recognize and enjoy what I’ve achieved. I’m so focused on some future payoff in my business, that I don’t celebrate the everyday wins that are getting me there.
Until this week.
This week, something momentous happened. I received the proofs for my book “Lunching with Lions: Strategies for the Networking-Averse”. It’s taken me 14 months from putting the proverbial pen to paper, writing all the content, going through the editing and proofreading process, designing and cover and interior layout, waiting for initial reviews and endorsements, and tweaking the files for the printer to get to this point.
I didn’t celebrate a single one of those milestones in any significant way. Which, in hindsight, is a real shame. I WROTE A BOOK Y’ALL. A book in which all the words, every one of them, came from ME.
Wow.
So, what’s the first thing I did after jumping around the house and sending pictures of me with the proof to all and sundry? I started planning a CELEBRATION party to launch my book with the people who mean the most to me by my side. And it feels great!
Are you someone who has a hard time recognizing your own greatness by celebrating your accomplishments? Consider this:
The Act of Celebrating Physiologically and Psychologically Sets You Up for Further Success
When we celebrate, endorphins (the feel-good chemical) are released into our brain and body and make us feel incredible. These chemicals play a big role in the mind-body connection, and when you take the time to celebrate something good, you reinforce your success with positive feelings.
Celebrations Beget Celebrations
It’s the Law of Attraction that what we focus on grows. By celebrating our wins – big and small – we create more wins and successes to celebrate.
Celebrating Helps You Avoid Burnout
While celebrating boosts your mood, when you deny yourself a celebration of your accomplishments, you’re telling (and training) your brain that what you’re doing isn’t exciting or important, which can lead to dissatisfaction or boredom with your work over time. Something we all know as “burnout”.
Sharing Your Success Makes Them Real
When we’re slogging through our to-do lists, it’s hard to recognize the sometimes enormous achievements we’re making. I had a friend sit with me over coffee and marvel at some of the things I’d been doing (of course, my inclination was to downplay their significance). When we share our successes with others, forces us to take what we’ve accomplished seriously. When my friend oohed and ahhed over what I’d been doing, it made me look at them in a different light.
As entrepreneurs, we have a big, shiny vision for what we want to achieve in our businesses. There’s a big end-goal, and we know that there are lots of smaller steps we’ll have to take to get there. So, too many times we put our heads down and plow forward through the to-dos and put all our focus on that future vision of success.
I’m convinced that the entrepreneurial journey is, in itself, the reward for our hard work. There’s not specific end point at which we’ll look in the mirror and say “yep, today’s the day. I am now officially successful and I can hang up my hat.” A real entrepreneur will just set a new goal, a new vision, and keep plowing forward.
That’s why it’s imperative that we learn to celebrate the milestones – bit and small – that we achieve every day. As entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, microbusinesses, and small business owners, we’re doing the hard work EVERY DAY. We deserve a pat on the back, a nice glass of wine, a massage, or even a party to celebrate our efforts and achievements.
So, please, party on, dudes!
Join me as I celebrate my big success of completing my book! RSVP to my book launch and signing party on March 20, 2019 in Westminster, CO. I’d love to have you by my side as I make merry and mark my own hard work. RSVP here >>