How to Celebrate Your Wins Without Losing Momentum
If you own a business, then you know time is your most valuable asset. Ironically, once you become an entrepreneur, there’s never enough of it.
There’s a lot of sacrifices that come with success. You might have to change your schedule. You will certainly get less sleep. You aren’t as social. You might have even gotten to a point where you have enough money in the bank, but you’re always pushing forward, looking to make more, do more, and achieve more.
What’s missing in all that?
Celebrating our damn wins.
For years, I’ve been trying to add value to my company. It’s tough to start with nothing, acquire customers, create revenue, raise capital, build momentum, and put your all into a concept that has no guarantee of success. Over the last three years — through a ton of hard work, lessons learned, and trial and error — I’ve taken a business with no value and turned it into a million-dollar company. I did this with my team. I did this starting small and growing big.
So why don’t I celebrate that momentous win? Why don’t I take just a few moments to say, “We did it. All that hard work really paid off.”
While I’m not saying you need to hop on a plane to Vegas and blow all your hard-earned cash (unless that’s just your bag), I am saying that it’s important for team morale to stop and smell the roses every now and then.
A few tips:
1. Enjoy the process.
Entrepreneurs live in the process. There’s never really an “end” in sight. You are constantly building, growing, and adapting, and if you can’t enjoy the process, then you’re not going to enjoy the end result. Make sure your business is set up to actually yield results. Streamline as much as possible, because this is where you will spend most of your time.
2. Reward the people who deserve it.
I’ve written about the importance of having the right team, but none of that matters if you don’t celebrate them as much as your successes. Don’t just reward team members when there’s a job well done. Acknowledge their work ethic, their progress, and their overall growth. Show them that you are paying attention and care about their success.
3. Step away from the office.
Whether it’s taking your crew out for drinks or planning a team celebration, remember that we aren’t made to work all the time. Even if you own a company. Even if you’re the leader. You must take time to process what you’ve done, how you’ve done it, and why it matters. Celebrate the victories and defeats. Make your work a part of your life, but not the only part of your life. It’s vital to step away and gain perspective when you need it.
Remember: the work never really stops. Don’t be the workaholic who never takes a break. Don’t be so dedicated and focused that you don’t enjoy your wins, both large and small.
Incorporate celebrations into your work culture. Honor the people who helped get you there (that includes you).
And mostly, be proud of your success. If you aren’t, who will?
A 20+ year entrepreneur with a no-B.S.-in-business attitude, Shaun Black has powered over $30 million in annual revenue with his trading and importing company, Diamond Produce, founded numerous successful local businesses, and remained on the cutting edge of national start-up industries for over a decade.
His experience as a grocer taught him the importance of exceeding expectations, one relationship at a time. Through systems, automation, and personal touch, his businesses deliver consistent retail-minded service. His “add value” approach to vendor and teams alike has paid dividends and been the driving force behind growth and profit.
When in Doubt, Add Value, and follow @mrshaunblack on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more.
