Somewhere in the world, someone just crossed the finish line of their fifth marathon, another person just completed their doctorate in astrophysics, and a group of doctors successfully performed open-heart surgery. At any given time, there’s a good chance someone has accomplished a major feat in their life. However, surpassing that major feat would not be possible without the small victories along the way–and the celebrations that come with them.
With each step you take towards attaining a big goal in your life, be sure to celebrate yourself a little bit. Making any sort of progress, no matter how big or small, should be recognized because it means that you’re getting closer to what you want to achieve. Now, I’m not saying you need to throw yourself a party or take a tropical vacation, but treating yourself to a cup of coffee or your favorite candy bar will give you the happy feeling you need to keep pushing towards the next milestone.
Even if you just take 20 seconds to smile and embrace what you’ve done, the time you took to appreciate yourself is what matters.
Giving your brain the sense that what you’re doing is important will give you more motivation to work towards the next step. A positive and confident mindset can make all the difference in your ability to continue on, as you won’t be as hard on yourself if things aren’t going your way. Having small perks set up as you continue to make progress can keep you motivated to continue on, even if you reach a point that’s harder than anticipated.
If you’re taking a while to reach the big kahuna of goals, thinking back to all of the progress you’ve made along the way can motivate you to keep pushing towards the next step. You’ve made it this far, and there’s no stopping how much more you can accomplish. There’s nothing wrong with setting your sights high, but it’s important to remember that there will always be bumps in the road and things won’t go exactly as planned. When you’re finally able to get around that roadblock, take a moment to recognize the determination you’ve exhibited and let yourself breathe–you knew you could do it and you did the damn thing.
While you’re on your way to achieving a long-term goal, each step you take towards reaching it elicits a pat on the back as well. A small step to you could be a major step to someone else, so take the time to appreciate the progress you’re making. Be your own biggest fan and take pride in what you’re doing; no matter the size of the steps you’re taking, what’s important is that you’re still taking those steps towards what you want to achieve.
You deserve to be celebrated, appreciated, and proud of what you’ve accomplished. Celebrating the small victories you make along the way to a big one will build up your motivation and confidence, as well as allow you to realize the magnitude of the final outcome you’re working towards. As the clichés go: Rome wasn’t built in a day, a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, and you can’t learn to swim without getting in the water. If it weren’t for the little victories, there probably wouldn’t be the big ones we champion.
