There was a point when I was working extremely hard, but it never felt like enough. I would beat myself up if I didn't hit the milestones I set for myself that day. Eventually I realized that I needed to take a second to stop, smell the roses, and enjoy my journey. I wasn't appreciating myself for what I had accomplished. I only paid attention to my shortcomings.
Most of us have something specific that we are working towards. Usually it's a big milestone, whether it's quitting your job in order to pursue another opportunity or getting the promotion you've been vying for. Once you get that, then you'll feel successful, and you won't be as hard on yourself (right?). Until then, you grind it out every day.
The problem with that mentality is you might never feel satisfied, even when you hit your goal, and you'll develop a callous attitude. You feel jealous of those around you that are moving at a faster pace, and you're always getting down on yourself. In order to keep yourself motivated and most importantly happy, you need to celebrate yourself on a daily basis. That starts with assessing your day. Ask yourself, did I do something today that will bring me closer to my goal? If the answer is yes, celebrate that! If it's no, then celebrate that you're going to be amazing tomorrow! Tell yourself you're doing a good job and applaud yourself for staying focused.
This will help build your self-esteem and encourage you to set the bar higher. Each day you're going to want to celebrate yourself, so you will consciously make efforts to do things better. You don't need anyone else's validation, as long as you validate yourself. Following your passion can sometimes take a toll on you when things aren't going as you planned. Therefore, it's important to look within for encouragement.
Alicia T. Glenn is the founder of Astounding Pursuits a blog in which she shares her experiences and advice on how to accomplish cool things, and live a more fulfilled life by discovering and pursuing your passion. Join her free newsletter to get business ideas, life hacks, and strategies on how to live a more astounding life.