On the day that Gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas was nominated as the Democrat Party’s candidate for the office of president of the United States, he told a news commentator, “God doesn’t give you many days like this.”
Regardless of how you feel about Bill Clinton, you have to appreciate the fact that he had the good sense to celebrate that moment. Far too often we succumb to the temptation to overlook our achievements, to miss those moments, simply because we haven’t yet reached our ultimate goal.
It is important to pat yourself on the back when things are going well, not just when you achieve your final goal. By regularly celebrating small achievements that add up to a big one, you give yourself and others inspiration to continue.
If you have the right team, they will probably be the first to congratulate you. Sometimes, though, others are unaware of what you have achieved. As a leader, a boss or a manager, you may be the only one to appreciate the nature of the triumph fully and be able to celebrate it.
It is equally vital to celebrate other people’s successes. Sometimes simply turning up and showing that you care about what they have achieved is sufficient to make an impact. Make sure you know when people have triumphed and model celebratory behaviour.
Grab opportunities to celebrate success without waiting for the formal opportunities to underline it. For example, if you think people have done something exceptional, rather than waiting for a grand occasion to say so, consider giving immediate and little appreciation.
While it may not be razzmatazz, people do need to know what success feels like. It makes them hungry for more. When we talk about celebration, people will begin to have ideas. But the truth of the matter is that one can actually celebrate without spending a dime or thinking of breaking the bank.
For instance because I love to read, research and write, it’s impossible to sleep the recommended eight hours pay day. That does not mean I do not like sleep, but I can hardly meet up if I indulge in that number of hours. But whenever am in a celebration mood, yours truly will just forget about everything and give myself a sound hours of sleep. That’s one of the ways I celebrate. Now tell me, how much do I spend to get that number of sleep? So the same goes to others. Find various ways to celebrate once in a while, you will be better for it.
According to Ernest Renan “We shouldn’t take it for granted that no life can be entirely free from vexation, trials, troubles, sorrows, and disappointments; but we should resolve that these things shall not be allowed to disturb our peace of mind, or to destroy our happiness.”
Harold Kushner writes “In a world where not everyone will do great deeds or achieve great success, God has given us the capacity to find greatness in the everyday…. The good life, the truly human life, is based not on a few great moments but on many, many little ones. It asks of us that we relax in our quest long enough to let those moments accumulate and add up to something.”
It is better we take control of our environment than allowing our environment take control of us. We should determine what we want from life and persevere until we achieve our dreams.
Remember the words of Cervantes, “Life is a coin. You can spend it any way you wish but you can only spend it once.” Life is like a mirror. We get the best result when we smile at it. Enjoy the little things… some day you will look back and realize they were the big things.
It was William Feather that said “Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn’t stop to enjoy it.” Friend, I hope you do not belong to this category of people?
Shalom!
Now that you know…
Aspire to inspire!
Nkemdi C. Kenneth for Nkemdi Mordi Development Initiative (NMDI) Bringing Hope, Lighting Lives
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