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Give Yourself Some Props
There’s nothing like a little self-congratulation for the ego, yes?
I’d rather pat myself on the back and maybe look like an egotistical jerk than to maybe get no praise at all. We recently took a look at the power of receiving—including compliments. That doesn’t mean we can’t give ourselves some props, too. In fact, it’s important for success-building.
Why? Because we’re creatures of habit. Success is a habit as is failure; and mediocrity—which is worse than failure. Mediocrity is this lukewarm thing where there’s not enough pain to make you want to move.
The more success, failure, or mediocrity you live in habitually, the more natural that process becomes for you. When your mind is comfortable and used to success, success becomes your path of least resistance. And success therefore becomes normal and automatic.
So how do you utilize this law in your favor? Simple: recognize and acknowledge your successes. Some people say, “Not focusing on my success keeps me striving.” I say it keeps you unrewarded, unhappy, and in a pattern of failure.
We all love to be recognized and rewarded for our good deeds, yes? Feeling significant is a basic human need. Most of us unfortunately have let some of the greatest successes of our entire lives just totally slide into oblivion, without ever really acknowledging or celebrating them in any way, shape, or form. It’s important that we keep our big successes in the forefront of our mind for references and to reinforce our confidence.
Isn’t it true that our mind will almost always pick out what’s “wrong” with us? In what we can’t or shouldn’t do? It hardly ever goes back to the great things that we did. So if you want to go out there and do something new like make a couple of million dollars in a certain amount of time, it’s going to seem scary because your mind isn’t going to go, ‘You’ve handled this before. Not a problem.’
That has to be a conscious thought that we force in there. Left by itself, something new or scary will make the mind go, ‘Hell, I don’t want to do this!’ So it’s important that we keep whatever successes we’ve had at the forefront of our mind. We want to ingrain them as best we can on a physical or emotional level so that they’re part of who we are.
Can you come up with three of the greatest successes of your life in any area, right now? If you can’t come up with three successes, you are way too hard on yourself. If you have trouble coming up with three successes, you won’t even look at anything good about yourself which means you won’t look at other good things about other people or anything.
They don’t have to be incredible. They just have to be big successes for you in the situation you were in. What have you overcome? It could be business. It could be relationships. It could be money! It could be from childhood. It could be sports. It could be anything. We want to hear from you!
14 thoughts on “Give Yourself Some Props”
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Wow, as so often, so timely!
I acknowledge myself for…
* passing my Masters Degree with Distinction
* being accepted into Medical School
* getting my divorce complete with compassion, without blaming and without lawyers
* raising my 8-yr-old daughter, in spite of her parents' separation age 4, to be confident, happy, socially well-adjusted and top of her class
* transforming the lives of many of my clients – adults, teenagers and young kids – in my work as a confidence coach
* making $50,000 on the only real estate investment I oversaw and managed myself
* funding the bringing of clean water to thousands of children in southern Africa
* being good friends with two of ex-girlfriends
* taking responsibility and turning my financial situation around from seemingly inevitable bankruptcy to one of steadily reducing debt and increasing stability
* appearing on the BBC World Service as a panel discussion guest
* scoring a dipping volley with my left foot from the edge of the “D” for my Sunday football (soccer) team
* scoring a hat-trick for my University football team
* as player/manager leading my Sunday team to the Cup Final
Wow, THAT's put a smile on my face!
🙂
Thanks for the reminder, Harv.
Kevin
After a week that I've had……this post was sooo right on time.
I acknowledge myself for
…starting my digital agency ConnectiMass…
…for developing the digital marketing strategy/plan, process, team for the Jamaica Tourist Board's Destination Jamaica brand.
…for working with significant Caribbean brands such as Digicel, Samsung Mobile, JMMB and many others.
… founding the first Jamaican/Caribbean Tech Meetup- Kingston BETA.
…founding the double award winning Caribbean tech blog-SiliconCaribe.com
…founding the Caribbean's first startup tech conference- Caribbean BETA
…having a growing roster or speaking gigs in the Caribbean.
..being able to build a business I can start and grow from anywhere in the world as long as I have an internet connection which was my dream 4 years ago. I've achieved that and I am proud of myself.
Thanks so much for this.
Many people are not comfortable in this line of thinking. From some of my successes I have learned what I am good at. During an interview I was explaining my skills and how I could help. Following the interview I asked the HR rep what I could improve. He mentioned that the interviewers discussed me being arrogant. Some thought they saw it, some did not see it at all. I ended up getting the job. My thoughts are that people are not accustomed to confidence.
Josh Bulloc
How can I help?
Thanks for the information, Harv. Good to hear again.
I acknowledge myself for:- arranging my jars after the MMI on April 1st 2011 in Amsterdam.
-starting to save money. Although I thought I was not able to save money with a sickness benefit and spend more time for enjoying life. I was always busy …… and felt so restricted about life because of restricted income. I notice by practising the jars these jars give me more space inside myself. This month I was able to spend the Enjoy jar. I went to the sauna with a girlfriend for a relaxing day. I am so proud that I am able to change my perception towards life. I allow myself now to enjoy.
– In the kitchen was a kitchen cabinet completely full with brochure material for my study Interior Styling. This week I reorganized this stuff to just 2 little boxes and put these 2 boxes upstairs. Finally I can use the kitchen cupboard for his normal purpose for placing cups, dishes and plates. I feel, I have now more space in my mind for new things just by reorganizing my house.
– Last month I did spring cleaning in my house and throwed many stuff away, brought things to the recycle store and sold several things on internet. This money I put in my jars. It just give me a good feeling by simplifying life. I don't need so many stuff in house anymore. I am able to save money in a creative way.
Thanks!
Kind regards,
Irene from Holland
– Finding and practicing Spirituality
– Eliminated alcohol from my life
– Being kind to others at all times
Thank you Harv. Great timing!!
Over the last 6 months I acknowledge myself for:
1 the strength and discipline of loving and respecting myself. My first committment started one month ago to not drink for the next year. Also for not drinking over this past month.
2 releasing 30 lbs in 90 days starting this past November and for keeping it off all the while not being able to do any cardio due to a knee injury.
3 moving into a new residence and a new office in a brand new city (San Diego) and hiring a new apprentice all the while keeping my existing business flourishing in NYC.
4 Completed my Book Forward for our new Wealth Management Solutions Book. It is now finalized and the books will be printed over the next few months.
5 Empowering a family to rise from the ashes.
Superman's Acknowledgements over the last 6 months…Up, Up and Away!!!
1) Master's Degree with Distinction
2) bankrupt to a half millionaire in 10 years (and the monumental shift in my money blueprint)
3) renovating my adorable century-old house
I also celebrate my husband, my son, my daughter-in-law, my mother and her new hip, my sister and her new business, and all the rest of my family and friends.
I celebrate my husband's new commission as a Land Surveyor (it's like passing the bar for Lawyers.) And, my old dog's continued happiness. I celebrate the passing of my 97-year-old aunt.
And, that I am the kind of 51-year-old that would get dreadlocks back-combed and rolled into her hair for her birthday.
Plus, I am uber-proud of the novel that is unfolding at https://ImaginingBetter.com. A mix of truth and fiction about teaching difficult children in difficult circumstances while having a complicated personal life.
Thanks for the reminder,
Like you, I believe that by recognizing our smallest successes we can build a great future……….To do that I keep track of my daily successes on a notebook, I call it “My Success File”, every night I jot down those little things that made my day great, try to fill out at least half page, this way I feel that my “Success File” is full and when that happens “I” feel SUCCESFUL.
It can be as simple as finish reading a book, closing a sale, looking at some property, attending mi kids school trip or even just finishing the laundry. if we do it daily we can see how good we are in certain areas and develop our stengths or like they say , hire our weaknesses.
Flor
Yes, You are absolutely right!
Of course we all “must be” first of all the best friends and in love with ourselves, just “this” is a bit too near to genuine narcissism (almost always) with a taste of arrogance…;-D
And because of that is very easy to lose clear-headed-well-balanced relationship with the other human being…
Thank You so far.
Great reminder…celebrate the successes in our life, big or small, they all matter!
Self-assurance, self-approval, self-interest rules the world!
Great article, I had a lot of work last two weeks, so I didn't have time
to read it sooner, but today I did and just couldn't resist not
tweating about it. Great article, lot's of profound insights.
Here are the three successes that came to my mind within 10 secs:
1. Passing the complex verbal graduation exam two days ago.
2. Transforming my body from skinny kid into a maculine man within 10 months or so.
3. Putting up website with good content and making my first sale when I was 18 (few months ago).
Nice one, Harv!
I got to practice this big time this week, as I was promoting myself to get votes for Brian Tracy's blog contest. I made it to the Top 10, so apparently it works!
“Success breeds success” as you have taught me 🙂