Managing Your Career: Recognizing Your Accomplishments

As you continue to refocus to set yourself up for success in 2008 by making adjustments to your physical and mental work space and then by reviewing and resetting your goals, there’s one other very important task that bears emphasis: Recognizing your own Accomplishments. Need some how-to’s and why’s? Read on…

I’m sure you’ve experienced the euphoria that comes with the successful completion of a project or the achievement of a goal. Did you write it down and celebrate it? Unfortunately, in our fast-paced business culture, we tend to move very quickly onto the next thing on our to-do list, leaving that feeling of excitement and accomplishment barely noticeable. Filing it away in your memory bank doesn’t always work - we easily forget what great success we had last month or even a few days ago. That’s why you should stop, take note, and write them down.
Keep a simple list on your computer or in your organizer.
Jot down the date and a brief description.
Or, you can add more detail and chronicle your “C-A-R Stories” by describing the Challenge, the Actions you took, and the Results.
Then make it a habit to update and review regularly.

Receive an award or special memento? Post it where you’ll see it regularly and remember what work you put into its achievement.

There are several reasons why this is so important:

You’ll be ready for your next performance evaluation
You can better justify your request for a raise or promotion
You’ll be prepared for interview questions
You have substantial information to add to your resume, speaker’s bio, or website
You have your own personal log of reminders on what you’ve accomplished over time, which boosts your self confidence and gives you encouragement to tackle the next challenge.

Be sure to celebrate each accomplishment, in whatever way is meaningful to you. A treat from my favorite coffee shop, a weekday walk on the beach, lunch with a friend, or a little something special from my favorite online catalog are ways I’ve learned to recognize and celebrate my accomplishments – big or small. Take some time this week to review what you’re most proud of achieving so far this year. Document it, and then decide how you will have some fun and celebrate that win. Make sure 2008 is your best year yet!