Celebrate your professional achievements

When was the last time you celebrated your achievements?

Today, we are going to make time to celebrate your achievements. Every time I watch award shows I look forward to the lifetime achievement awards category. They typically dedicate some time to look back at what the person has achieved and highlight some results. Until it's your time to be honored on a major stage, start celebrating yourself on your stage. You might feel like you haven't achieved a lot - I beg to disagree. We achieve small, medium and big things every single day and don't even recognize them. When you start acknowledging your achievements, your perspective on your experience changes.
 
In this post, we will discuss some practical tips as well as the benefits of tracking and celebrating your achievements. Generally, achievements and accomplishments are used interchangeably in this post. Also, I would like to share the great research done on this topic see the "Great Resources" section at the end of this post.
 
What are achievements/accomplishments?
My favorite dictionary definitions are:

• a result gained by effort (Merriam Webster)
  
• connotes final accomplishment of something noteworthy, after much effort and often in spite of obstacles and discouragements (Dictionary.com)
  
• something that you did or got after planning and working to make it happen, and that therefore gives you a feeling of satisfaction (Cambridge Dictionary)
• an act or instance of carrying into effect; fulfillment; something done admirably or creditably: (Dictionary.com)

 
What are the benefits of tracking your achievements?
With the help of your achievement log you can:

• Motivate yourself at every turn on your journey.
• Create great content for your resume/CV.
• Present yourself better at job interviews.
  
• Gather facts for a better business case for your promotion or pay raise.
• Prepare for your yearly performance review.

 
How to celebrate your achievements
Let's explore five simple ways you can start celebrating your accomplishments today.
 
Create your achievement log
As with every great thing we do, we want to be able to refer to it. Make it a practice to write down your achievements. Document the situation, your contribution and the results. Being able to review your achievements and share them provides you with a boost and motivation to do more. Some great places to share your achievements log include your CV/Resume, LinkedIn profile, and all relevant platforms. Also, include quotes from the positive feedback you received from your clients, colleagues or boss. Valuing your achievements coupled with having trusted people confirm them is huge.
 
Know your achievements and talk about them
Especially in your professional life, there are key events when you are asked about your successes and contributions. You want to have them readily available to share. Your achievement log will serve this purpose and help you prepare for yearly performance review, an interview, a request for a pay raise, promotion request or introduction to a new project team. Now when someone asks you what your most significant achievement is, you have a quick place to look, and you can confidently share.
 
Track metrics and results
As you make progress every day, you want to make sure you capture metrics as well as the positive results you have contributed to. For some reason, people respond very well to achievements that are quantified and have positive results. Read about your industry standards on metrics that matter and track them. With the help of relevant metrics, it's easy to measure your progress and track accomplishments.
 
Review your achievements regularly
Are you looking for a boost or motivation? Reviewing your achievements will give you a confidence boost. Set aside time at the end of every week and month, to review your accomplishments and highlight the results that stand out. Your log should be a living document. Remember to add new achievements and update old ones with relevant information.
 
Celebrate milestones along the way
The end goal is important, however achieving critical milestones on your way is even more significant. Celebrate the small milestones as well. Especially when the results are not visible for a long time, it is important to celebrate small achievements along the way. The fact that you are still on your journey is a significant accomplishment. For example, completing a module on your way to your masters is an accomplishment. It might look small to you, but you are one step closer. You did it!
 
Final Thoughts

• What have you achieved so far in your career? Reflect and write them down.
• celebrate all your accomplishments - no accomplishment is too small.
• When you value your accomplishments, they grow.
• Congratulations on everything you have achieved.

 
Great resources

• 5 Ways to Keep Track Of Your Accomplishments
• How to Track Your Work Accomplishments Throughout the Year
• The Weekly Activity That Helps You Get Ahead (Worksheet)
• Keep Track of Your Work Accomplishments Throughout the Year
• Get That Raise: How to Document Your Achievements
• How to Quantify Your Career-Job-Work-Life Accomplishments for Employers
• How to Measure & Document Achievements at Work
• How To Write A Brag Sheet To Get Promoted
• Writing accomplishment statements
• How to Create an Accomplishments List