How much time do you spend lamenting steps taken – or not taken – as you navigate life in the decades past 60? On the other end of the spectrum, how much time do you spend celebrating your successes?

Have you ever set on a path to accomplish something (big or small), put in enormous time and energy, but then forgotten to take the time to reflect and celebrate once you’ve reached your goal?

Goal Setting

Research shows that goal-setting is extremely important to fulfilling dreams and also describes the need to set small achievable goals leading up to the BIG GOAL.

And here’s the most often-missed step – it’s equally important to acknowledge and celebrate your successes in order to stay on track! Failure to acknowledge meeting small goals makes it more difficult to continue moving forward towards large goals.

The Quilly Awards

I just returned from a trip to Los Angeles to accept a Quilly Award for becoming a best-selling author for my latest book, Success Formula – Secrets for Health, Wealth, and Success, written with a collection of authors including Jack Canfield (of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series).

It was an amazing event at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt hotel in downtown Hollywood, CA; complete with a formal awards ceremony and red-carpet interview.

I met some wonderful people working in the field of health and success coaching, and as authors we were treated like stars for those several hours in the spotlight. I’ve got to say – that was fun! But here’s the deal – I almost didn’t go.

Too Busy

When I got word several months ago that the Success Formula hit best-seller status, and there will be an award ceremony, I was excited, but I was really busy and just sort of let the excitement fizzle out.

Then I got word that my chapter, Healthy Aging Success or Sabotage, won the publisher’s Editor’s Choice Award. Again, I was very happy and grateful – but too busy to stop and really celebrate and let it sink in. Few of my friends even knew about it.

I didn’t post any of this on Facebook and didn’t even take time to share it with the wonderful community of supportive women at Sixty and Me! So, if you’re curious, here’s a free chapter download!

What’s Up with That?

As I wavered about whether or not to attend the award ceremony, my husband basically asked me, “What’s up with that? Why would you work so hard toward a goal, achieve it, then just act as if it wasn’t any big deal?”

Why, indeed? I’m not sure I have an answer, except to say that part of it is likely rooted in not wanting to be perceived as “braggy or self-promoting” – does that sound familiar, ladies?

But another part of the equation is that I had never taken the time to build celebration of success into my personal formula when setting and achieving goals! Kind of ironic considering the book title!

Commit to Celebrate

What about you? Are you more than happy to talk about and celebrate achievements your family, friends, colleagues, and even acquaintances have made but reluctant to talk about and celebrate your own successes?

If you’re in the habit of writing down your goals, do you include how exactly you plan to celebrate when you achieve each of them? (If you don’t write them down – now’s the time to start that important habit!)

Break your goals down into smaller, easily achievable bits, and then reward yourself for sticking with them and getting to the next step, then the next, and the next. Celebrating your achievements doesn’t have to be big and splashy, but it does have to be specific and deliberate!

Consider identifying an accountability buddy (or group) that you share your goal(s) with, then include them in your celebrations. Acknowledge and record your success on a chart, timeline, vision board, or even a sticky note on your bathroom mirror, saying, Great job, _________! You accomplished _______!

Make It Energizing

Achieving small goals en route to your big goal should be constantly energizing. That means different things to different people, so choose an acknowledgement and celebration that brings you joy, offers an opportunity to connect with others, provides a sense of Ahhhh – whatever it is that uplifts YOU!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What was the last goal you accomplished? Did you share it with others? Did you celebrate? What would feel like a great celebration the next time you accomplish a goal? Can you commit to that celebration? Please share with our supportive community.