Small Success and You: How to Build an Effective and Delightful Bond

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With small success comes the feeling of great accomplishments. There’s nothing like that feeling of seeing your hard work pay off. And that great feeling has the ability to push you even further.

As difficult as it may seem, there are some who have a difficult time embracing their accomplishments. And when you’re not used to those moments, you may question “why.”

I am one of those people. For the first time, I’m starting to see what it’s like to have small successes happen for me. And while I’m still getting used to the idea, I still find myself questioning “why me.”

Part of the reason I feel such self-doubt is because of my lack of confidence within myself. My ability to accept my small victories as a positive. And many who have the same may find it hard to accept it as well.

Yet it doesn’t have to be that way.

Mental strength and achieving small goals

If something goes your way and you’re anything like me, you may ask yourself “how” or “why”. Achieving success could be a scary feeling. You may feel overwhelmed, self-doubt, or that you’re not worthy.

As a person with low self-esteem, I’ve had a ton of failures. These failures have led me to not wanting to try. My failures have fed into what I think of myself. And I’m sure I’m not alone.

Low self-esteem contributes to a lot of people feeling that they are not worthy of success. They may have the thought of “I’m not going to get it anyway.” And a lot of the time, what you believe becomes your truth.

A major part of achieving small goals in life is having the mental strength behind it. Some are built with mental strength in mind. Others may need to work towards regaining theirs. Depression, anxiety, all play a factor in breaking down your mental strength.

It’s through therapy, hard work, and stepping out of your comfort zone that you learn to regain your mental strength. Your mental strength is what gives you the courage, drive, and motivation towards achieving those small goals.

When we think of goals, usually we of career and long-term life goals. Both are good goals to work towards. however, they can be set for improving your mental strength.

Before I started experiencing my recent small successes, my focus was on achieving acceptance of my one of my main small goals consisted of rethinking my thoughts into positive ones.

The first time I was able to accept a stranger laughing around me as something not directed towards me, I felt a sense of accomplishment. Something that small made me feel that I had completed something I set my mind to.

Here are 3 small goals you can try:

1. Positive thinking – think of what you think the negative outcome would be. Follow that negative thinking with some positive outcomes. And continue to practice rethinking your thoughts.
2. Set feasible small goals – oftentimes we want to set those big goals in life. By setting smaller goals you begin to build a foundation towards those bigger ones. Start with your mental strength. What are some small steps you can work towards and achieve?
3. Write down your failures – sometimes seeing on paper what went wrong can aid you in trying again. For each failure, try brainstorming a different route. The idea is stepping out of your comfort zone to achieve those small goals

How to handle accepting your small success

For years, I never really tried to be successful in much. I had seen too many failures that I felt success in anything was not meant for me. And I’m sure many of you may feel that too. Oh, boy was I wrong. Recently I was able to see that I was capable of succeeding at something. And it all was through small feats.

The sensation you feel when something you’ve worked hard on is accepted is hard to put into words. But if I have to, I’d say it’s an overwhelming feeling for someone who is not used to it.

As someone who doesn’t have the mental strength to accept what’s going on you may feel:

1. Overwhelmed or anxious
2. Not worthy/self-conscious
3. A sense of failure around the corner
4. Disbelief or willingness to accept

These are some of the feelings I’ve come across after I completed my first small goal. Like most things, experiencing something new puts you out of your comfort zone.

Because it’s so instilled in your mind that nothing good will ever happen for you, it may throw you a big curveball when something good finally does.

It’s okay to feel some of these emotions and remember that it is all new to you. Try not to let it be a roadblock to your success. As weird as it may feel, the more you see success come your way, the more that feeling of acceptance becomes natural.

Some ways you can handle accepting your small success

1. Take a deep breath
2. Share with those who’ve supported you
3. Thank those who’ve supported you
4. Accept your successes as successes
5. Start a journal to document your achievements
6. Write a blog post about it
7. Plan your next small goal
8. Listen to your positive feelings about achieving your goal
9. Accept and appreciate any compliments you receive
10. Reflect on the path you took to get there
11. Give yourself a “good job” talk and a big pat on the back

These and others may positively affect your mood, producing a positive outcome.

Tips on building off your small success

Once you’ve achieved a few small goals, there’s no stopping now. You’ll want to continue on the path that you’ve started. And whether it’s self-improvement or work goals, continuing to allow yourself the experience of success is a feeling you don’t want to let go.

Recently, I’ve learned a goal tool called S.M.A.R.T. Some of you may know it through blogging, freelance writing, and other professional outlooks. It can also help you continue to build off your achieved goals.

Using S.M.A.R.T to plan your goals

• Specific – set specific goals that are clear and understandable for you. Start off by setting an easy, detailed path that will define your goal.

• Measurable – set measurable goals that will have dates, times, amounts, etc., that will show your progress. This allows you to measure your success as you go. You get to see the progress you’ve made and continue to build on it.

• Attainable – set attainable goals. You want to make sure that your goals are achievable for you. If you set them too far out of reach, you may be setting yourself up for failure. Remember, small goals achieved leads to large goals being achieved.

• Relevant – set relevant goals that go with the direction you want in life. (Example: if your goal is to run your first marathon, you may want to target your goal towards things related to running).

• Time-Bound – set goals that have a deadline. Working towards a deadline gives you a sense that it must be done in a timely manner. This can give you a sense of accomplishment is right around the corner if I work towards this specific time.

Each month I find myself using these to achieve the small goals I set forth for myself. I’ve used this method now towards continuing to achieve my goals. And you can too.

Here are other tips to help build off your small success

1. Make a monthly plan based on what you want to see happen for that month
2. Get a calendar to document dates and times
3. Organize your goal priorities if you have multiple. Maybe do the easier first
4. Build a good support system. For those stressful moments, you’ll want someone to escape to for guidance or a break.
5. Get a journal, or recorder. This is simply a place to release your feelings as you work towards your next small goal of success.

Conclusion

Your success is something to be proud of. No matter how small the victory is, it’s your victory to embrace. And while it may seem uncomfortable, you can say to yourself that you did it.

It’s natural to have a million different feelings when you’ve accomplished your first successful victory. Just know that the more you work towards those small goals, the less uncomfortable it will be.

So what are some of your small successes that made you feel excited? Do you remember how you felt the first time you succeed at something? Leave a comment down below. And don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter for updates, features, and more.

Until next time, this is Tammy saying keep strong, keep positive. And NOTHING’s impossible!!!