Every day every one of us accomplishes many things. Sometimes our accomplishments are dramatic and life-changing. Sometimes they are less significant, but they are accomplishments just the same. What is of interest to me is how difficult it is for us to own our success and recognize our achievements, big and small.

Why do we struggle with owning our success? Are we embarrassed by it? Perhaps you were brought up to be humble and not to brag. Is this part of your story?

Or are our expectations so high that we dismiss all our achievements as insignificant? Nothing we do will ever measure up to the unrealistic standards we set for ourselves.  Is this the story you tell yourself?

Last week I wrote about the important role confidence plays in career advancement, but confidence can’t be faked. It starts with understanding your unique value, owning your accomplishments and success, and recognizing that you have a positive impact on your clients, friends, colleagues, and family every day. Connecting with your unique gifts and talent is the key to building your self-confidence and owning your success.

Success starts from the inside out.

Your success muscle needs to be exercised every day or you will lose it!

Here’s your daily success exercise routine:

1. When someone compliments you, do not dismiss it. Acknowledge it and thank them for recognizing your accomplishment.
2. Write down your successes, big and small, in a journal. This forces you to think about the positive things you do each day.
3. Create positive affirmations for yourself. Keep them visible in your workspace. Say them out loud each day.
4. Manage your expectations. Set realistic expectations and celebrate each time you meet or exceed these expectations.
5. Don’t “should” on yourself. Focus on what you accomplished, not what you should have done or should have said.
6. Be aware when you slip into negativity and read your affirmations and review your success journal.

Perform all the above exercises at least once a day or as needed.

Remember: daily exercise can flex your success muscle and build your strength and confidence to position you for career advancement.