As a coach, I believe in rewards. They create an intentional acknowledgment of completing a milestone. A moment to pause and celebrate accomplishment. The process of appreciation generates positive feelings associated with being in action for yourself. Rewards can be a simple as turning up your favorite song really loud and dancing to it three times in a row or as extravagant as heading off for an out of country destination you have longed to see. The keys to a reward are that they must be meaningful and not something you already do for yourself.
When identifying potential rewards, ensure that thing or experience is unique enough that you will associate it with the accomplishment. If the reward is something you already do for yourself then it doesn’t count. For example, if you play golf or get a massage on a regular basis, then golfing or massage isn’t, of itself, special acknowledgement of reaching a milestone. They are a fun part of your regular routine. They could be turned into a reward if say, you always play the same course, but for your reward you arrange to play a new course that has been on your Wish List. Or get a different kind of massage that you always wanted to try, maybe even a two-hour massage if that is not common for you. The point is to create an experience for yourself that you will associate with completing the task rather than something that will get lost in your normal routine.
Choose rewards that add richness, joy or significance to your life in some way. If it is not something fun for you or that you care about, why bother? Make it meaningful and remember that identifying rewards is a very personal thing. What is celebratory for another may not be to you. Don’t put anything on your list unless it brings a smile to your face, lights up your eyes.
Create a reward menu for yourself by listing small, medium and large experiences and things you will choose to do when you reach the targeted milestones along your journey.
Finally, rewards are just thoughts unless you actually implement them. Complete something and then celebrate!
