Remember to Celebrate the Wins

Losses are inevitable for any entrepreneur or small business. But instead of getting down on yourself, focus on wins, and do it every day. Sometimes it’s easier to be hard on yourself for taking a misstep than it is to praise your success. While it’s important to admit and recognize when we’ve made a mistake, it doesn’t do us any good to dwell on losses. Instead, adamantly celebrate each and every win. Every step that gets you toward your goal, no matter how small. Here’s both how and why you should stay focused on the positive and rejoice in your success.

Team encouragement Think about the worst boss you ever had. Or stories you’ve heard from colleagues and friends. What are the common denominators among bad bosses? Probably a lot of negativity; making employees feel less-than-great about their work performance or even getting out of bed to go to work. As a business owner or entrepreneur, it’s easy to start pointing fingers and blaming others for mistakes. This resentment then builds, whether self-directed or not, and this is how these leaders start to become bitter dictators who don’t let anything get past them. But what if, instead, you focused on wins? It’s not to say that you won’t acknowledge mistakes, because you should, but any effective leader understands that one of the best ways to motivate others is to focus on the positive. Make an example out of someone who does a really good thing. Send out daily reminders of all the things that are being done really well. Sometimes it’s easy to only talk about the negative, and we forget to acknowledge when we do something right. But acknowledging and celebrating wins encourages and motivates the entire team. If you’re currently a one-person show, these principles still apply. Don’t forget to pat yourself on the back for something every day, however small it may seem.

Motivation Positivity fosters motivation. Whether you work with a team of twenty or you’re completely on your own, if you don’t feel positive about moving forward, you won’t want to. It’s hard enough to take risks and to keep working hard every day, so don’t bring in a bunch of sour feelings to make it even more impossible. At the beginning of each workday, try writing down five things you’re doing well. They could be small things that you’d normally overlook as wins, like paying a vendor bill on time, setting a new goal, or being done with work by five o’clock. Acknowledging these small steps you’re taking will keep you moving toward your goal. They’ll keep you in the present, and keep you focused on the passion that started your journey in the first place. And that’s where true motivation comes from, remembering why you’re doing what you’re doing and continuing to take deliberate steps in the right direction.

View mistakes as gifts We’ve all heard that we should learn from our mistakes. Easier said than done, right? But even though you may think it sounds cliché, start viewing mistakes as small gifts of wisdom. Tell the mistake or failure directly that you’re not going to let it get you down. Think: well, at least I’ll never do that again. Write down what you did that caused the mistake and spread the gift of wisdom with your team. It will encourage and educate them while showing them you’re not perfect. While you may not feel like celebrating a mistake, at least be encouraged that you learned something. Try this: for every misstep, write down five wins for that given day or week. This way, you can be reminded that you have a lot more wins than mistakes.

Stop looking for the top of the mountain Imagine you’re on a steep hike up the side of a mountain. You feel like you’ve been walking for days, but every time you look up to see the top, it seems further away than ever, and you feel like you’ve barely made progress. This can be a demoralizing feeling that will make you want to just give up. What if you paid more attention to the present? That patch of rocks you just climbed over was pretty tough, and you made it through. Look back at what you’ve accomplished just in the last hour. The journey won’t seem so endless if you focus on daily wins, instead of waiting to reach the end goal. Instead of looking for the top of the mountain every five minutes, look at what’s around you, and pay attention to the now. Remaining in the present will help you celebrate the small wins that will build up over time. And only then will you reach the top. Want more tips and tricks from successful leaders? Paper Napkin Wisdom is a treasure trove of tips from entrepreneurs and business owners, run by entrepreneur Govindh Jayaraman. Check out the latest information and advice on the Paper Napkin Wisdom podcast and blog.