A major moment of success in 2018 was winning the international Speaker Slam. I already told you about it. 1st place. Wow! My joy was immense, a spark of endorphins. Of course, I enjoyed this success and celebrated it properly. Success should definitely be celebrated! Take off properly - provided you know how to come back down.
Success is the fruit of your actions.
One of the reasons why I celebrate success and express my joy about it so eagerly is that success is always the result of what I have done. My personal effort preceded it. Often outside of my comfort zone. This means I may have had to exert myself. Or learn something completely new. Enter unknown territory. Overcome fears. Discipline myself and demonstrate perseverance. Be creative in finding solutions. I have invested my lifetime to achieve a specific goal. Wouldn't it be completely crazy not to cheer when you achieve it?
Take off, but do it right!
Facing a challenge, such as at the Speaker Slam, my tension beforehand is quite high. Of course, I have stage experience and I am used to speaking in front of people, and I even enjoy it. However, entering a competitive situation is a whole different story. Is it all about participating? No, I openly admit that what attracts me to the competition is striving for victory. To be among the top, at least. Especially because I now know what I am capable of and because I always enjoy exploring what I cannot do yet and where I encounter limits, I face such challenges. If my preparation, concentration, and 100% effort ultimately bring me success, I let the corks pop. Somewhere, all those happy hormones have to go. When I create a best moment in my best life, I pay tribute to myself with self-praise and joy, the respect we all deserve for daring to follow our own path. Taking off properly is absolutely crucial for me and my motivation.
Coming back down to earth.
I am certainly not perfect. Therefore, after consciously enjoying a high, I consciously return back down to reality. Happy hormones are great, but intoxication is not a useful state when it comes to improving my skills, planning projects, or simply doing my "homework." To ground myself, I use various methods. Particularly important are the people close to me who know me with my strengths and weaknesses. They are good anchors because they are not afraid to give me critical feedback where necessary. I value critical-constructive feedback myself because it helps me evolve and become aware of blind spots. For example, at the Speaker Slam, I later asked some jury members to tell me where there were still weaknesses in my presentation. What I can improve, which potentials remained untapped, despite the win. Knowing this is incredibly valuable.
It's the mix that counts.
If you want to do something well and progress, it is neither helpful to hide your light under a bushel nor to stay on a self-satisfied high after a success. The clearer you see yourself, the better you can act successfully for yourself. Take off, ground yourself, and continue on your path.