Becoming great at anything requires you to notice what’s missing. If you want to get your body in better shape, you’ll notice the extra fat you have on your stomach even if you already have a six pack. One of the challenges achievers face is they constantly notice what’s not working and spend little time appreciating their successes. The downside with that is that you tend to beat yourself up and wear yourself down with stress.
A big part of becoming successful at anything is positive reinforcement and building upon what’s working. By training your mind to notice what you’re doing great at even if it may seem small at the time you will make yourself more resilient when the inevitable big challenges come your way.
Celebrating small wins also stacks over time in your favor just like compounded interest when you invest your money. If your goal is to get in the best shape of your life give yourself praise when you tie your shoes to go to the gym. Most people constantly associate pain to the micro goals needed to achieve their big goals. Reverse that and start to consciously be grateful for the micro achievements you make along your way to the big success you have your eyes set on.
How do you do that? Simple. At the end of each day ask yourself and write down three small wins from the day. A few examples could be:
Drank a large glass of water first thing in the morning.
Called mom and said hello.
Got out of bed on first alarm.
Skipped eating a brownie.
Smiled at a stranger.
The small wins stack up over time and they become the big wins. You’ll start noticing all the great things you have and are creating. It will begin a self perpetuating cycle that works in your favor in the different areas of your life.
