Give Yourself a Standing Ovation!

Over the past few months I have been studying the behaviors of highly successful people and comparing them to those individuals that just can’t seem to find their way. The more I observed both groups the stronger I felt about one thing. We are the only one that can motivate ourselves. No one else can do the job for us. Our personal happiness lies within.

Now don’t get me wrong. I believe we can be influenced by outside forces. In fact I pride myself on living my life focused on being a positive influence to others. But I am only able to inspire someone. They then in turn self-motivate.

As I began to explore this notion of self-motivation, I realized something that very few of us have ever experienced…receiving a standing ovation. That particular sign of recognition is reserved for entertainers, athletes, and politicians. The common guy like you and me doesn’t seem to do anything worthy of such acknowledgment. It’s not that we don’t accomplish heroic deeds. I have many colleagues that save lives every day. I know tons of people that make a difference by simply sharing their smile with others.

The more I thought about this special method of recognizing great feats, the more I thought about internalizing the process. So I started to self-motivate by patting myself on the back for my accomplishments. Whether it is working with a client, presenting to a new audience, or finishing a great run, I stop for a moment and silently offer myself praise. I picture the standing ovation for a job well done. And, every time I do this, guess what happens? I smile. The very notion of receiving a standing ovation for my work, who I am, and what I stand for brings joy to me. It encourages me to keep going when I am not feeling so positive.

So, do yourself a favor. For the rest of this week, give yourself a standing ovation for the little things and the big things you do well. Then comment back on how many times you smiled in the process.