Stop and Smell the Roses: Celebrate Goals Along the Way

Do you ever feel that everything is going so well, but you are waiting for that other shoe to drop, that ominous feeling things are too good? This morning I heard a loud bang on our glass door. Since we live out in the country, I knew it wasn’t someone knocking hard. Although I initially dismissed it, our dog did not. He found the remnants of a dead bird lying on our porch. Generally, a dead bird is a bad omen that someone is about to die or something in your life will end. It is human nature to think the worse, but why not celebrate success instead of waiting for doom and gloom? Yes, there will be setbacks, the other shoe dropping or a bird, but celebrating along the way will give you the resilience to achieve your life goals so you can live up to your full potential.

One of the most common characteristics of goal accomplishment is the failure of people to stop and applaud what they have completed. Discussing progress and sharing good news is a skill that needs to be developed. Surrounding yourself with people that hold you accountable, but more importantly, praising your successes, as well as theirs, doesn’t happen automatically. It must be cultivated. There are always those naysayers who question, criticize, and detour your priorities. Avoid those negative people.

Studies have found that sharing your accomplishment of goals amplifies your happiness more than keeping it to yourself. It allows you to replay your successes when you share the good news. It builds a social resource to begin the upward spiral of well-being. It also improves the results; the likelihood of accomplishment increases when you share your baby steps to success. It boosts your self-esteem, allowing you to feel pride in your actions. Expressing positive emotions have been found to increase your immune system making you healthier. Although expressing accomplishments might seem selfish, it promotes the feeling of gratitude. And finally, sharing with someone helps you remember the good things in life more than the bad.

Here are some things to remember when sharing. Blood is not thicker than water. Don't assume that your family will rejoice in your accomplishments. Quite often, people that are happiest for you are unrelated. Family members may be jealous that they haven't had your success. Or they might bring up past failures to hold you back. Sometimes family might feel your accomplishments takes away from them being the center of attention. Although the family is for life, it might mean you selectively share where you want to be in 10 years, especially if they won't be included.

But it also works on the flip side. Don't talk endlessly about your success, don't brag. The best relationships are giving and taking. Please make a point to ask your friends about their own goals. Remember the saying by John F. Kennedy, “No American is ever made better off by pulling a fellow American down, and every American is made better off whenever any one of us is made better off. A rising tide raises all boats.”

Start a support network with like-minded supportive people, such as a mastermind group, reading club, or circle of friends. Enlist an advisor who can support you and celebrate with you. Soar with the eagles, not the turkeys.

A key point, however, is to savor the triumphs. Savor that moment of victory which will be a resource of positive recall when needed—practice reminiscent therapy which encourages you to look at your life backward and share the stories. Savor the anticipation of an upcoming vacation, the birth of a child, or even a reunion.

Here are some ways to cultivate savoring. Start tracking your goals so you can reflect on each year’s accomplishments. Have pictures of happy times everywhere: vacations, family, or events. Institute a regular savoring day to reflect on things and be grateful for achieving them. Write a holiday letter listing your and your family's past accomplishments; be sure to acknowledge your friend’s letter too. Tell stories often to family and friends, but ensure they are captured for the next generation to use as a positive example. Even throw a thank you party to acknowledge those that supported you along the way.

Now it is time for you to stop and smell the roses. What are you grateful for accomplishing? With whom did you share? Who supported your progress? Why was it important to you?