Moving the Goalpost: Remember to Celebrate

A man sitting at the top of the mountain and raising his arm to celebrate.“Transformation happens in the speaking of the transformation.”

This was one of many takeaways from a coaching session last week.

It’s been my experience that entrepreneurs and business leaders have a tendency to move the goalpost. Using a football metaphor, we get to the 5-yard line and then up the measure of success. “I am so close, I can do more.”

Though this is somewhat admirable—continuing to expand one’s capacity and push one’s boundaries is an important part of reaching one’s fullest potential— but constantly moving the goalposts means we never get to celebrate our wins.

Here are three ideas that help address this challenge:

1. Start celebrating wins at the 95-yard line. When you get to 95% of your goal, go ahead and celebrate, then move the posts out a bit.

2. Take the time to regularly check how far you have come. This enables you to see that you are actually three, four, or even five hundred yards down the field. (I actually did this exercise recently and was surprised at all the wins I neglected to celebrate over the years.)

3. Share your wins with others. To some, this feels like bragging but rest assured, speaking about your wins in a truly celebratory fashion is where transformation occurs. Your enthusiasm and progress are to be shared with others so they can become motivated and share their own successes. Again, “Transformation happens in the speaking of the transformation.”

What’s a recent win you can share this week? Big or small, a win’s a win. Share yours in the comments here, or better yet, post it in your feed on LinkedIn and tag me so we can celebrate together.