The Art of Celebrating Success
Business owners, especially women, often forget a very important aspect of success.
This is more frequently a female thing, as the majority of males find it comes naturally to them and is very easy to do. It also has nothing to do with education, position, confidence or finances, although it can have a huge effect on all of them. I am talking about ‘celebrating success’ both big and small.
As a woman in business :
- How often do you, find or make the time to celebrate your wins and successes?
- How often do you, downplay or ignore the compliment of well done?
- Why are most men better at doing this than the majority of woman?
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more in life there is to celebrate.”
Oprah Winfrey
In other words, you reap what you sow!
Now there are several reasons why achievements and wins are not celebrated and one such reason is time. We are so busy being busy that we move from one project to another often without a break. However, when we take the time to celebrate, we are doing something very important, we are creating and forming neural pathways that trigger the feelings of achievement.
The brain, the body’s master computer, records all feelings, circumstances and emotions of each and every action that is done, and creates files. These files record the positive/negative or neutral energy response and imprint these records into your subconscious, thus creating a scale of reference with which to judge a similar experience. It’s important to understand the brain doesn’t really care which response is accessed when a similar circumstance comes up. It will default to the highest energy reaction. By anchoring the celebration, the default reaction will be one of happiness and instigate the release of happy endorphins of success. It is also handy to know also that any and all positive acknowledgments of success add to that particular story file. Big or small, perceived or actual.
“Collaboration, celebration and gratitude create impressions of success in your subconscious, so that you may create future experiences in which you feel celebrated and grateful” Loral Langemeier
Celebrations can take many forms including:
- High Five Yourself
- Phone a friend or colleague
- Sharing via a business newsletter or social media
- Nominating for a business award
- Voice your excitement out loud
- Throw a party, special dinner or specific celebration.
By celebrating the successes, big and small, you are reinforcing the concept of it being an important and fabulous experience which help to build reserves of success memories that can keep you motivated and happy. Small successes are often a precursor to bigger ones and all steps forward are positive.
“Celebrate what you’ve accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed” Mia Hamm
So why are men better at celebrating success? One reason is their brains are wired differently, they respond and react to a primitive reflex similar to an Ape beating his chest. This act of Bravado is designed to telling everyone he is the biggest and best and to scare off any competitors. It also stimulates male hormones that respond to feelings of strength and a positive mindset. This primitive reflex goes back to an ancient time when the men were the hunters and gatherers.
Female primitive reflexes were more the nurturer and protector. Their primitive reflex influences didn’t need to show off unless they felt their young were under threat. Then watch them roar!
In general, men are not as affected by the tall poppy syndrome, being more inclined to back themselves confidently, even if they don’t always believe it to be true. A fake it, til you make it confidence. Women often worry about being seen as too pushy are often less confident and are generally more inclined to celebrate another’s achievements than their own.
However, we can bypass these general’isms by remembering a time when we were encouraged to have a go, clapped when we achieved even small steps, celebrated with at each and every milestone regardless of how long it took us. Back to our formative years, when celebrating our achievements was simple and easily done. The neural pathways of success were formed but they may have been forgotten or lost by the complications of our teens and beyond.
Its time to reclaim and reignite the positive neural pathways of success celebrations and as your confidence grows and expands, you in turn then become a light for others to follow and look up to.
“Success is not about the money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives” Michelle Obama
Learn to cultivate and enjoy the Art of Celebrating Success!
