Running a small business can feel like an uphill battle. After you set goals and make plans, you might struggle to see things through. In fact, there are few business owners who can honestly say that they accomplished everything they set out to do in a given year. However, it is important to recognize what you did right. As the end of the year draws near, take some time to celebrate your small business successes.
Acknowledge the struggle
Launching a business can be hard, especially when you are juggling a family and other obligations. Every entrepreneur knows that there will be some struggle involved with starting a new company, but you never get the full impact until you take this action yourself. As such, it is important to acknowledge the specific difficulties you have faced and recognize how well you did in spite of these challenges. By doing so, you can feel a sense of validation and accomplishment.
Leave criticism for another day
Small business owners can be their own worst critics. Every time you make a deal or try something new, you may be driven to think of ways you could have done it better. This approach is healthy in some respects, but you have to acknowledge what you are doing well, too. As you look back at the last year in your professional career, make sure that your critiques do not outweigh your celebrations.
Measure your small business successes
Before you can celebrate an accomplishment, you need to establish a set of guidelines. Do you define success as taking an action that helped your brand, regardless of the financial implications? What are the other terms necessary for you to accept an achievement? Most successful entrepreneurs look beyond money when evaluating their performance over a given year, so be sure to keep an open mind when you are setting your goals and keeping track of them.
Build on your strengths
By celebrating your achievements, you can be one step closer to identifying your strengths. After all, when you recognize what you have done right, you can determine further steps to take to steer your business in the right direction. For example, while you may have started your business with a plan to expand to multiple locations, you may have realized after a few years that your core neighborhood clientele is your ideal target market. In this scenario, you could decide to launch new products that appeal to your best customers, instead of opening new locations.
Reward yourself
At the end of the year, you should make an effort to reward yourself for all of your business successes. Perhaps you could finally take the week off to spend time with your family, or maybe you could treat yourself to a new blazer to wear to business meetings. These simple treats could provide you with a powerful morale boost.
Fight the good fight
Unfortunately, some years bring more challenges for small business owners than others. Even in the most challenging of times, you have to remember to focus on the positive. That could mean simply celebrating the fact you are fighting the good fight and working hard every day to help your customers fulfill a certain need. Be proud of the fact that you have never compromised your values or taken the easy way out.
At the end of every year, you should devote some time to celebrating your small business successes
