Tracking Momentum
Have you ever felt like you’re working hard but not making progress?
Recently, I was talking with a client who felt that way. I suggested they start an Accomplishment List – a simple record of wins, big and small. At first, they were skeptical. But within a few weeks, they began to see their progress more clearly, and their confidence started to grow.
As we talked further about their work and projects, it became evident that many things had in fact been completed, and they began to see the benefit of capturing all wins: from mundane to significant.
As we discussed this practice, they realized their resistance came from thinking that only the big items mattered.
We as consumers are accustomed to picking up a new bestseller, seeing a box office hit, or buying a nationally recognized name brand product and not thinking much about it. And in our careers, we believe others to be more successful, that our contributions are not sufficiently impactful.
But here’s the truth: most great achievements are built on small, steady, consistent actions.
My client still doesn’t love writing these things down, but now that we’ve been at it a few months, they see the benefit to keeping track of progress. This is positively affecting their sense of momentum and confidence. They are seeing their impact.
The Most Important List?
The Accomplishment List may be the most important list we keep.
It is so easy to focus only on the things we haven’t yet done or wish we’d accomplished. Our extensive to-do lists will always exist. Given the pace of business today, there will always be work not completed, mistakes in our judgment, things beyond our control. Keeping the accomplishment list allows us to see where we are right now. It balances the scale between what’s next and what’s been done.
Years ago, my father recommended I post my resume up on the wall to remind myself of my career progress. To this day, it works! I feel fierce when I take a look at the work I’ve done over the years. When he first suggested it, I was resistant. But I now agree with him and have realized that it’s another incarnation of the accomplishment list. What a great way to remember who we are in our work, where we have come from, and what we can now do. It can also remind us what we want to stop doing or leave behind.
4 Reasons to Stop Resisting and Start Your List
As you think about starting your own list, here are four tangible reasons to make the effort.
- Motivation: As you work through a big project, you can see what you’ve already accomplished. This will give you the energy to keep going, even on the down days when you want to throw in the towel.
- Preparation: You will be ready to walk into any meeting with your boss or client and have clarity on recent accomplishments, what you’ve completed (and what you haven’t).
- Opportunity: You will be better prepared to take advantage of any opportunities that come your way – either at work or in other areas of your life.
- Priorities: You will be able to focus on what’s truly important and gain clarity on the things that should go on the other very important list: the Stop Doing List.
3 Simple Steps
It is simple to get started with this practice. It may feel strange at first to celebrate the mundane alongside the important, but it gets easier. The main rule: Keep it simple and start where you are.
- Pick your format: Open a Word/Google/Excel doc or go analog and pull out your journal. Keep this list where it is easily found; pick one spot and stay consistent. This eliminates one point of friction/resistance.
- Decide on a cadence: I recommend capturing your wins a few times a week. Like any habit, at first it is hard to remember, so create a reminder until it becomes a habit. Include anything that is important to you: project tasks, seminars, podcasts, books, productive conversations, proud parenting moments, starting a new hobby, taking care of yourself– whatever you feel contributes to your well-being and quality of life at work and beyond. Yes, you can include a healthy breakfast or a short walk!
- Start right now!
If you start your Accomplishment List today and add to it regularly, it won’t be long before you’ll have a solid list of meaningful things you’ve done in your life. Taking time to revisit this regularly will give you energy, momentum, and stamina to keep moving forward. Fierce!
I’d love to hear: What would change if you started tracking your wins today?
Resources
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
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