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Celebrate Your Success

By Michael Angier

"Those at the top of the mountain didn't fall there."  Marcus Washling

An important element of the science of achievement is the need to celebrate our successes. It's also one that's easily ignored and even contradicted.

The problem for many of us is we never quite feel successful, because as soon as we reach one goal or pass a certain mile- stone, we're already going after the next one. Too often, we don't stop to revel in the feeling of accomplishment. We're too focused on the next rung of the ladder-- that's if we've even noticed we've moved up another rung.

I'm not advocating resting on our laurels.  I'm suggesting we truly experience the joy that comes from seeing our progress and accomplishing our objectives.

I recently completed and published a book called, 101 Best Ways to Get Ahead. It feels great to have it done, and I'm getting lots of accolades from people I respect and admire. It's a good book; an easy read that is both entertaining and informative.

But I find it a little too easy for me to look at ways I could have done it better.

In doing so, I take away from my satisfaction …my sense of accomplishment and joy.

And I know I'm not alone in this process.

The people I interview and coach share that they do the same thing. No job seems good enough. No achievement is great enough.

It's the wrong focus. When we do this, we're being ungrateful--we're thwarting abundance.

We can always see ways we could have done it better or faster. But the truth is we did it. In my case, having published a book is clearly a milestone--something millions of people aspire to and yet only a few thousand actually achieve.

So I'm going to celebrate it. I'm going to indulge myself in feelings of triumph and success, and I'm going to resist the natural tendency to disparage my work or myself.

I keep a Win List. I find that listing the wins in my life--big and small--is more than therapeutic. And it's a real pick-me- up to review the good things that have happened to me as well as the things I've made happen.

It keeps me grateful and it keeps me focused on the good stuff.

Celebrating our successes employs a universal law: when we appreciate what we have and what we've done, we find ourselves having more to appreciate.

What accomplishment can you celebrate?

What milestones can you highlight or acknowledge? Gaining your last promotion?  Helping someone through a tough time?  Winning that new contract? Losing those five kilos in weight? Giving a successful presentation?

When you do these things, it anchors positive feelings into your consciousness and prepares you for more of the same.

Like attracts like and your feelings are powerful magnets indeed.

About the author: Michael Angier is founder and CIO (Chief Inspiration Officer) of SuccessNet – a support network helping people and businesses grow and prosper http://SuccessNet.org