One of the things about running a small business is not working for anyone. For many cases, this is a point of celebration. It also often means not working with anyone day to day. While some people consider that a bonus, it also means not necessarily having someone to celebrate the small things with.
While running a business, whether as a freelancer or an entrepreneur, it can be easy to fall into a space of continuous work. A freelancer hits all her goals for the month. Instead of taking a minute to celebrate that victory, she keeps working on. Eventually, that victory becomes the new normal and the cycle repeats. This is one of many paths leading to eventual burnout.
Now take an opposing scenario. An entrepreneur just launched a course and expects 35 people to sign up based on the size of her following. She launches, and those 35 people sign up well before the closing deadline. She calls up her business best friend and they have a celebratory dinner. When the course enrollment closes, they have a very excited phone call. The entrepreneur feels positive about the launch and can’t wait to do it again.
See the difference between these two scenarios? Both met and exceeded their goals. They treated it in different ways though, thus leading to divergent long-term effects. In taking time to celebrate the little things, the entrepreneur had a more positive experience even though she works alone too.
Celebrating the little things is one of the many steps that can make a difference in how activities feel. It doesn’t have to be a dinner out, it can be trying a new restaurant, a special night with a spouse, an extra massage, or any number of things that feel right. The point is to celebrate the little victories all the way to the top.