You chose to read this.
That’s a win.
A Win is an Intention met.
In that light, you’re winning all the time.
It probably doesn’t feel like it.
Don’t Celebrate
You have been told things like “don’t rub it in” and “you shouldn’t celebrate” growing up.
You’ve felt awkward and uncomfortable when being happy about doing something you intended to do.
Celebrating Wins (Intentions met) is not zero-sum. There is no loser needed. Example – Your Intention was to be first in line for tickets to your favorite band, and you were. You met that Intention, that’s a Win.
Someone else being second in line does not mean they lost.
Often when you were deterred from claiming Wins, it had more to do with someone trying to cope with their feelings about not meeting their own Intention. They discouraged you from claiming your Win because they didn’t get theirs.
Positive Feedback Loops
The most powerful positive feedback loop you have in your toolkit is the connection between Intention and claiming Wins.
You build energy and momentum when you set Intentions consciously, then celebrate the meeting of your Intentions.
It builds your sense of power and choice. You grow your trust in your ability to respond to the world.
When you acknowledge that every outcome you experience is the result of some Intention you had, you begin to unlearn coping habits.
You can claim a Win when something “bad” happens. Maybe you arrive late to a meeting that you attached great importance to.
It feels strange to call that a Win.
But it helps you take 100% ownership of what happened. It reduces your desire to lay blame, justify, or shame yourself.
Freeing yourself from coping makes it easier to see the Intention that you met. The Intention that led to the outcome you didn’t think you wanted.
And seeing both Intentions means it’s now your choice.
It can feel weird
A personal story – I had a mentor ask me if I would commit to myself to celebrate tying my shoes.
Sounds absurd? Perhaps.
By making that commitment, I had to learn why it felt awkward and absurd.
I had swallowed a lot of beliefs about being “too proud” and “that’s not polite” to be able to celebrate almost any wins.
Celebrating such a “simple” win and meaning it helped me challenge and let go of those beliefs.
Letting go made way for me to become far more capable, confident, and happy.
Do or Do Not
If you find it hard to celebrate Wins, you’re not alone.
Yet, you’re winning all the time. What you’re not doing is winning at the things you feel you want, because other wants (like being safe, or avoiding uncomfortable conversations) are what’s winning.
Flip that script by practicing conscious Intention. Reinforce by claiming Wins when you meet those Intentions.
Commit to operating with greater Intention and celebrating Wins daily.
You might be surprised how fast things start to change.
You can do this. I can help.