Most people postpone their victory til the final destination is reached. We set targets for ourselves, e.g. at New Year or on our Birthday: next year is going to be different and we identify goals we want to meet or changes we want to achieve and we start out on making them happen.
Sometimes the achievement date for those goals can have an unknown or distant timeframe: getting a new job or a promotion, moving house, starting a new relationship or opening a new business, these things can take time to come to fruition.
One great tool is to break it down into the actions that support achievement of those outcomes and to focus on taking those steps. You can read my blog on lead and lag measures to help you further with this idea.
The other really cool and very enjoyable thing we can do is to celebrate the achievements we have along the way, celebrate the small wins.
When we only focus on the end goal, especially if it is an ambitious one, we can quickly get into discouragement when it is taking time to get there. Because we haven’t yet achieved the final step, we frequently think we’re failing and that kind of energy quickly gets us into a downward spiral of disappointment, discouragement or despair and, typically, we give up.
If you’re feeling some discouragement now in relation to one of your goals ask yourself if you’ve been ignoring some of the progress, even just little baby steps, that you’ve made?
For example, if you wanted to start a new relationship this year but haven’t yet met your ideal partner, maybe you have been meeting nicer people than previously; maybe you’re meeting more people altogether; perhaps you’re spending less time with people who don’t make you feel good about yourself?
Have you decided, really decided, that you are ready for a new relationship or is there still work to do to fully leave/ release a past relationship? If yes, do the work and celebrate that.
We have dominion over our own thoughts and your job, when you are creating new outcomes, is to refuse to think about what you don’t have yet – that creates a lack mentality. Instead, you want to focus on what you are accomplishing and celebrate that.
To give another example, as many of you know, I have a personal goal this year to climb Carrauntohil (Ireland’s highest peak for those readers further afield!). This is an ambitious goal for me and I’ve had targets since January around increasing my fitness levels and capacity for the task.
On one level, I’m getting better all the time and on another, even some of the shorter hikes I’m doing in preparation still can really take it out of me. And I found myself getting into discouragement around that.
I realise now that I was getting into that kind of end goal not yet realised despair rather than focusing on the wins I am actually genuinely having.
So to document my small wins:
- I’m now able to reach the Mast on Peter’s Hill (above, first real test) with relative ease. While I am challenged by it, my recovery time is MUCH quicker (hours rather than days)!
- I’m getting physical therapy from the wonderful Matt Casey, Mallow Pain Clinic (big shout out for Matt) which is supporting me to address and resolve longstanding, niggling physical issues
- I’m walking regularly with my husband and sons, we’re all getting fitter and it’s great bonding time!
By any measure, these small wins are worth everything I’m doing at the moment, my life is enhanced in multiple ways from the progress I am making. So I choose to celebrate!
And I invite you again to consider, what are the small wins you’re actually having currently in relation to some of your goals? And what are you going to do to celebrate them?
Write into the comments below to capture your wins and give yourself a shout out here!
To really embrace this concept you want to be celebrating 3 times per day! Celebrate the steps you are taking to put yourself inside the vision of your dream, your goals.
Each morning, see your intentions to be and to do the things that will take you in the direction of your dream and during the day celebrate the things you are doing that are moving you in the right direction. As my great mentor, Mary Morrissey, says to me, “I’m a huge believer in baby steps and celebrating them. If you’re not doing that, pretty soon you’re likely to find you’re not taking any steps at all!”
Give yourself that powerful shot of support to keep you going toward your goals and celebrate all the tiny steps that are taking you there.
If you would love to celebrate you and uplevel your vision for your life with other growth-oriented people, do join us for the Vision Workshop on Saturday 24 April, online from 10-4. Bookings here: https://maevelankford.com/workshops/
All welcome!