[This is Part 1 of the “Wins” series. Check back soon for Part 2!]
Your wins are your successes: any accomplishment, effort, or progress that you’re proud of. You should keep track of your wins because you will forget them.
Why You Should Keep Track
You may think you have excellent memory. Maybe you do. Maybe you never need to double- and triple-check your calendar. Maybe you’ve never heard a friend’s story, and said, “That sounds hilarious,” only for your friend to reply, “Um yeah? You were there.” These are indicators that your memory isn’t an airtight vessel (especially 20 minutes after you’ve learned something new).
And that’s fine. Most of us realize by adulthood that we shouldn’t rely solely on memory. Otherwise, we wouldn’t write down to-do lists, put appointments in calendars, and then add reminders to the really important appointments. When something is critical, we don’t want to forget it. And your wins–they are critical.
Why Knowing Your Wins Matters
Lots of advice says to write down your goals and dreams, but how will you get there? Your wins show you what you’ve accomplished and how you did it. Use this information as the bridge between where you are now and where you want to be.
In his book Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, Dan Heath calls wins your “bright spots.” Heath makes a convincing case that your bright spots are key to accomplishing your goals. Instead of trying new solutions, use your wins to figure out what has worked in the past and then replicate it.
(Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org, an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Read more here.)
How to Track Your Wins
Don’t make this part hard. Add it to a system you already use.
Do you journal? At the top of each page, write “Today’s wins.”
Do you calendar your entire life? Add the day’s win as an event.
Are sticky-notes your go-to? Pick a color for “wins” and post them around your space.
When to Consult Your Wins
Take a look at your wins when you need encouragement, inspiration, or guidance.
Encouragement
When nothing is going your way, when you feel ineffective or worthless, you need to remind yourself that you are effective and you have value.
Your wins are proof that you have achieved in the past. If you have done it before, you can do it again.
Inspiration
If you’re all out of ideas and feel like giving up, your wins are a reminder of when you figured out something complicated.
Guidance
Instead of trying generic advice that may not meet your needs, consulting your wins can show you what has worked in the past. Instead of hacking away at a new and untested path, walk the one you have used before.
Try One Thing:
WRITE DOWN ONE WIN TODAY, NO MATTER HOW SMALL
What win are you celebrating today? Share in the comments below!
Related
These entries may help you broaden your definition of a win:
Low-Stakes New Things to Try in Your Town
Make Your To-Do List by Asking, “What Would Make Me Happy At the End of the Day?”
Further Reading
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
(Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org, an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Read more here.)
Gretchen Rubin spend twelve months experimenting with happiness, using the wisdom of both the ancients (Aristotle, Horace, Seneca) and the moderns (Susan Shapiro, John Gottman, Anne Lamott). In chapter 8: Contemplate the Heavens, Rubin makes time to notice the simple and the profound in everyday moments with her family. Rubin begins keeping a one-sentence journal to hold onto these memories, knowing that they can easily fade.
