8 Ways to Recognize Success (& Stop Beating Yourself Up)

Have the inspiring words from your mission statement become buried deep beneath the profit and loss statement?

It’s easy for success to become shallow. When our compass points to the dollar sign, and life is all about the bottom line, we’re setting ourself up for disaster.

Recognizing success solely in your income statement is like driving a Ferrari solely in first gear—you’ll be as beat up as the engine, and empty as the tank.

Here are 8 successes that we forget to celebrate:

1. Your son’s birthday, on time.

To succeed in the workplace is impressive, to succeed in your family is essential.

Having your company flourish but your family falling apart is tragic. If you’re able to make it to your business meetings, and also to your daughter’s piano recital, that’s a priceless success.

2. Better than yesterday.

The power of compounding interest is lost on many because it’s subtle. We chase milestones but forget the little moments—the incremental growth and change that makes up success. If you’ve ever played Jenga, every piece is as important as the next.

Doing just one thing better than yesterday means you’re building toward your success, and that deserves to be acknowledged, even if the entire day wasn’t as great as you’d planned.

3. That one email.

As you sort through your emails: business proposals, meetings, finances, you come across that one message from someone who’s deeply inspired by your work.

Never downplay the significance of influencing one person’s life. As ambitious people, we’re on a mission to change to world—that happens with changing people’s lives. The greatest profits happen in people. Even just one.

4. Taking a stand.

Whether you’re pro or anti, Amazon or Chick-fil-A, holding onto your convictions against criticism is a success. In business and life, everyone faces decisions that challenge you to compromise your beliefs and style.

To “sell-out” may win you some more customers and fans, but exchanging financial profit for personal convictions will fill your pockets as deep as it empties your soul.

If expectations haven’t taken place of your authenticity, celebrate success.

5. You’re healthy. 

You haven’t found yourself in the fetal position, broken from a mid life crises; you’re office isn’t littered with red bull cans; and you’re diet includes more than protein bars.

Exercise is crucial for a healthy work-life balance, and will cut your medical bills. But carving time out requires discipline; if you’ve been consistent in that, trust that your success in one area of life will spill into others.

6. The payroll privilege. 

Navigating through the payroll system typically brings stress, but having any employees is a great privilege. Knowing that your work is creating enough value to support others and their families is an honor.

Seeing a name simply as another number on your payroll is ignoring a great contribution and success.

7. Wake up doing what you love.

Many have said, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Indeed money is important, but if taking a raise means more stress and less joy, any sane person would pass on the raise.

Work is a monumental part of life—statistics show far too many people are miserable in what they do. Money aside, If you’re able to wake up and do what you love, you should be celebrating.

8. Others believe in you.

Even if it’s just your mother, there are people who see your ability to succeed—especially when you don’t. Whether it’s the lizard brain or the Impostor Syndrome we’re really good at downplaying our abilities and treating our success like a lottery ticket.

It’s easy to feel down when you haven’t hit your goals— but the fact there are people a phone-call away who believe in you, is something to be grateful for.

They know your success is inevitable, it’s just a matter of time.

Feature Image by Nathaniel Goldberg | Mads Mikkelsen – GQ