What would happen if you paused to take a look at some things that you and your team are doing well?

Most of us are in the habit of focusing on weaknesses rather than strengths.

It’s easier to beat ourselves up for all the things still on our to-do lists than it is to celebrate the things we have completed.

It is human nature to dwell on the project that did not go well or to keep replaying in our minds a flub we made somewhere, even if it was small and insignificant.

Sometimes this is helpful. Because studying our mistakes is a great way to figure out how to do better next time.

But it is probably more important to study success. Studying success can help us learn why it worked. And it can also do something even more powerful. It can help shift our attitude to a more positive space and fuel our motivation for more.

Let’s look at a few ways to think about this that can be game-changing.

Accomplishments

Many things you achieve are due to hard work. You should feel good about those accomplishments.

You had a plan, worked toward a goal, and you got a result.

Getting that result is exciting. But often that excitement is short lived as we dwell on all the stuff left on the to-do list.

It is more productive to dwell on that result for a bit. And to celebrate it with a little reward. Because feeling good about what you have accomplished is a good way to keep motivated.

Motivation fuels momentum. Momentum yields further success.

But you can only get there through acknowledgement. You have to recognize your own success.

You should share it with others as well. Dating off a quick email or text to a supportive friend or colleague will do the trick. But you should also talk it out with your team and your boss too.

This celebration is not about gloating. It is about acknowledgement to fuel momentum.

Look at what we did! Isn’t it great? Let’s go do some more!

Gratitude

Some good stuff that happens is less directly a result of your work.

Recognizing success in areas through luck or coincidence or as a result of someone else’s hard work can be exciting as well.

Certainly, when these things give us a boost, we should be grateful. Stopping to acknowledge those things can be motivating too. Again, leading you toward more success.

Being thankful for good weather, finding the fastest checkout line, or for a good cup of coffee helps to set our mood. It helps us to garner some positive energy. And to continue to see positive things.

Which gets us to…

Pattern Recognition

Once you start to see a pattern, it can be hard to stop seeing it.

Have you ever bought a Red Honda Accord (or any kind of car) and then suddenly started to notice that same car everywhere?

Did a lot more people suddenly start driving those around? Or did your recent focus draw your attention to the tons of them that were already there, hiding in plain sight?

That’s what you want to happen when you stop to notice and appreciate the good stuff that you are doing and that is happening all around you.

You will start to see more and more good things. Which can help to boost your mood and your outlook. Which can help you to notice even more good things.

Start today.

Take a moment right now and think about some of the things you’ve accomplished so far today. And maybe from yesterday too.

Feel good about those things.

Now, take a look around and notice some things to be grateful for.

You might enjoy the weather today. Or maybe you had a great cup of coffee this morning. Perhaps you waved hello to a neighbor and can be grateful to know that person.

Embrace that positive energy. And start to lookout for a pattern of positive as you move through the rest of your day. Maybe try that again tomorrow too.

Fuel for Success

By creating a pattern of acknowledgment and gratitude, you put yourself on a great trajectory.

Taking a moment to recognize your own accomplishments is a powerful step in a positive direction. You can feel good about what you have done, even if it amounts to learning a lesson from something that did not work out as planned. Because you can recognize that you tried. You aimed for a goal and took action. That is something to be proud of.

You can recognize and acknowledge the accomplishments of those around you as well. Importantly, you should point that out to them. It will help to make them feel good and to motivate them to do more.

Importantly, you should be grateful for all the small things too. Because getting into a pattern of gratitude helps you to see the positive in everything. And the more positive your thoughts, the more positive your outlook will become. As your outlook becomes more positive, your attitude improves. You become more motivated, you take more action, and you achieve more results.