Milestones To Success

Most people have this mindset of celebrating the big things in life. That's good, but, sometimes, those big events are few and far between. When you're working toward a big goal -- like writing a book or landscaping your yard or getting your college degree -- the celebration can lie far into the future.

Often, when you're working so hard on a big goal, burnout is a real possibility. If you're not immediately successful or you receive no positive feedback, you can begin feeling as if you're butting your head against a stone wall.

Mile Markers

To avoid burnout on your journey to goal achievement, mark your progress with small celebrations.  You see, as you take action every day to achieve your goal, you'll pass milestones along the way -- kind of like those mile markers you see on highways. Celebrate these milestones as they occur because they show you're making progress.

Progressive Realization

Motivational speaker Earl Nightingale once said that "success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal." Progressive realization means taking consistent action to achieve the goal. You are succeeding each day that you work toward your goal.

For example, if you're working toward a college degree, celebrate each course you pass, every year you complete, etc. If you're landscaping your yard, celebrate when each phase of the landscaping plan is completed. If you're setting up an online store, celebrate getting the design finished, getting the webpage done, getting the business online, making your first sale, and so on.

If you're writing a book, celebrate getting the first draft done, finishing the book, choosing a path to publication, and taking action to get it published. If you're self-publishing a book, then celebrate each skill you acquire along that path.

In November, I passed a milestone: more than 2,000 posts published on SlingWords since 2005 when I founded this blog. At the time I passed that mile marker, I was carting boxes to my new townhouse so I was forced to quietly note the milestone. Today, I've finished moving so I'm celebrating that achievement.

Celebrate With Me

Join me in celebrating. Receive a free copy of Written Wisdom (a Book of Inspiration for the New Year), available at all major ebook sellers. Just leave a comment with your email address (write it out, don't leave it as a hot link). I'll send you a Smashwords Coupon code for a free copy by return mail.

Takeaway Truth

True success is never a destination; it's a journey.