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Don’t Forget to Celebrate That You Forgot!

Two successful businesswomen high fiving each other during an office meeting. Cheerful businesswomen celebrating their achievement. Happy businesspeople working as a team in a multicultural workplace.

Pop quiz time!

On Saturday, you promised yourself to walk every morning before work to improve your health. On Friday, you realize that you forgot to walk for the last two days. You:

  1. Criticize yourself for being forgetful “as always!”

  2. Commit to double-up your steps this weekend because “no pain, no gain!”

  3. Give yourself a high-five in the mirror while saying “good job!”

When I tell my clients that the most motivating answer is ‘3’ they usually give me a very confused look. They think I want them to celebrate their failures.

Not exactly.

I want them to celebrate that they remembered they forgot! 😵

Why Should Nonprofit Leaders Celebrate Failure?

Although it’s baked into our culture, and maybe our DNA, to be critical of any kind of failure, most of us understand that forgetting is natural.

We:

  • order fries instead of salad (that’s me!)

  • drive instead of walk

  • react before taking three deep breaths

  • send the email without the attachment (also me!)

I’m sure you can think of a time (or more!) where you just forgot. It happens to all of us.

But instead of beating yourself up with critical thoughts, what I want you to try is to celebrate when you remember.

How Celebrating Builds Mental Fitness 

Celebrating does two interesting things to our bodies and brains. First, a celebratory act releases the various feel-good hormones, like endorphins, into our systems.

Second, by rewarding our brains we train them to respond positively to failure. We lessen self-deprecating thoughts and our brains associate good feelings with the action we forgot. This improves the likelihood we will remember next time.

In my Mental Fitness programs, we frame this as moving from self-sabotage to sage wisdom. Learn more about Mental Fitness for nonprofit leaders, here. 

What’s the Best Way to Celebrate?

Great ways to celebrate are to enjoy a sensory moment. Some examples that feel great and don’t drain your bank account:

  • sing or whistle

  • do a happy dance (The Twist, anyone?)

  • enjoy a special nibble

  • spend a few minutes in your garden or with your pet

  • give yourself a warm hug

Will you remember to give this a try? Let me know how you do!