Note to Self: Celebrate Your Successes!

This may seem like a, “Well, duh” sentiment, but be honest with yourself and think about when was the last time you allowed yourself to be impressed with something you accomplished. Here’s a clue: if you mention it to other people and they say something like, “Wow, that’s incredible!” you probably should be celebrating somehow.

Epiphany Space regular Cortney Matz wrote an article for the Film Independent blog on this topic, and here are some further thoughts on the concept of success and celebration. Specifically, how – how do you celebrate a win for your creative goals? Chime in on Facebook or send us an email.

When it comes to embracing the creative journey and the process of fulfilling your life’s work, there is a certain amount of discipline involved in celebration.

First, recognize your successes.
What’s the point of achieving anything if you don’t let up for a minute and enjoy the accomplishment? When you complete the first draft of your screenplay, your project is now in a totally different place than it was before. When your principal photography is finished, you are no longer in the production phase—you’re in post. When a famous name is attached to your script, your attractiveness as an investment catapults. These are significant achievements along the way of your grand plan that must needs be recognized and honored. Do it with time, do it with money, do it with friends, do it alone. But do it on purpose.

Second, choose a celebration that is fun for YOU.
Not into big wrap parties? Have your own private Frasier marathon with a best friend and a pizza. Rather poke your eyes than go shopping? Get some friends together to play laser tag and make it rain with arcade tokens. For her last birthday, Cortney treated herself to two hours in a private practice room, playing piano and singing at the top of her lungs. We’re all different, and no two parties will be alike.

Third, don’t overdo it.
Maybe you feel you are already pretty great at this stopping-to-smell-the-roses stuff—so great, in fact, that your day is too full of celebration to have much time for anything else. I would suggest that if your play is getting in the way of work, it’s not really a celebration. In fact, you may not even be truly enjoying those distractions but rather going with a flow you’ve already allowed to take over your life. It’s the path of least resistance.

True celebration makes you want to work for it. It’s something that will only be enjoyable after a task is completed. It is inextricably tied to the thing being celebrated. And it is vital to a life well lived.

So what are we celebrating with you today? What goals are you hoping to achieve this month? Is there space in your life to celebrate when you reach them?

Enjoy this song from songwriter Ronnie Steadman, who articulates the creative dilemma of achievement:

I took the road less traveled that led me to here
And I’m not sure that it’s anywhere
Now I’m reaching, I’m grabbing – still I have this fear
That I won’t know it when I get there