Monday Musing: How do we better celebrate the small steps on the journey to achieving big goals?

The time has almost arrived—the Olympics kick off THIS WEEK in Paris, and I am beyond excited! Every four years (or three, thanks to our COVID-affected timeline!), we marvel at the world’s greatest athletes, witnessing their incredible feats of strength, agility, precision, and endurance. But what we see is just the tip of the iceberg—decades of hard work, setbacks, struggles, injuries, and tenacity lie beneath the surface.

It’s easy to get dazzled by the highlight reel and forget the relentless consistency and dedication that brought these athletes to this moment. This isn’t an Olympic-only phenomenon—it’s a challenge many of us can relate to: staying motivated on the journey to achieving significant milestones. 

Whether we’re tackling personal or professional goals, achieving something truly significant often takes months, if not years. The daily grind of progress can feel slow and invisible. So, how do we stay motivated?

How to Stay Motivated: Two Key Strategies

Make Progress Visible: The first step is often finding a small way to make progress visible. One of my colleagues, a prolific salesman, starts the day with a certain number of paperclips in a jar and another empty one in front of it. With every completed call, he moves a paperclip from the left jar to the right, allowing him to track his daily efforts towards his revenue goal.

If you imagine your big goal like the finish line, what are some progress markers on the journey there?

Remember Your Why: Remember why you started. Your purpose and passion are the core of your drive. If it’s waning, ask yourself: is there a better way to allow myself to reconnect with it? (i.e. meeting firsthand with a customer or end-user of your service/work to see the impact more directly). 

What’s your core motivation and passion behind your goals?

What achievements and efforts lie beneath the surface of your own iceberg that you could recognise and celebrate?

 Find simple, tangible ways to track your progress towards your dreams.

What I’ve been up to over the week that was.

My cup (and my ice cream!) are full after a soul filling night with two of my dearest friends, Layne Beachley and Tess Brouwer. We laughed til we cried (several times), got real and raw and attempted to solve some of the world’s problems.

I’m still buzzing with gratitude that I have these two strong women in my life and corner. By the way, you can catch us, along with the fabulous Sue Langley, kicking off SXSW Sydney on October 14th. We’ll be diving into the topic of ‘Redefining Success: Beyond the 1%’.

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