Stop Overlooking Your “Small” Accomplishments

When I was in college I had to complete an activity in which I had to list a few accomplishments. The prompts were “Three things at work that I am really proud of are” and “Three things I’ve done in non-work activities that I’m really proud of are.” I’ve always had a challenge boasting about myself or speaking about my accomplishments. But for this activity, my mind was completely blank. It was like pulling teeth to write 3 things in each category.

After speaking with a few of my mentors and picking my brain I finally came up with a few “accomplishments.” At first I didn’t recognize them as accomplishments but now, I guess I would. Here’s what I listed for the activity for one of the prompts:  

Three things I’ve done in non-work activities that I’m really proud of are:

1. I registered my four younger siblings into a new school district

2. I successfully prepared a full Christmas dinner for my family

3. I’ve made a positive impact on the lives of some of my friends ( I kept the thank you cards and emails as a reminder)

Looking over these accomplishments years later I’m thinking “Awww how cute.”  They don’t seem “legit” but back then the list above meant a lot to me. It gave me confidence to pursue other goals that I would not have considered because of fear, the lack of experience etc… Always remember that every journey begins with a single step. The small goals that we set for ourselves today, will be the stepping stones that’ll lead us to our long term goals tomorrow. Don’t be ashamed of your small beginnings! The secret to boosting your confidence in a given area is to simply do it. No ifs, ands or buts. Once you do it the first time it’ll be much easier each time after. You’ll also be able to learn from your mistakes and improve your performance the next time around. Check out some of my recent non-work related accomplishments that were birthed from the little goals above.  

Three things I’ve done in non-work activities that I’m really proud of are:

1. I submitted applications to a reputable boarding school for my 4 younger siblings and attended an interview day with them acting as their guardian

2. I’ve been able to cook full course meals for work events, family events and just because (this is big people! I never knew how to cook “like that.”)

3. I’ve been a featured motivational speaker for several organizations and I’m in the process of developing a business plan for my motivational speaking career   

 Can  you think of any small steps that you can take today that’ll lead you to your ultimate goal? Please share below!