The obverse of an Olympic gold medal from the 1920 Olympic games

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One of the most important things we can do for ourselves, either in our business or personal lives, is to create a “yay” file. It doesn’t matter how this file takes shape, but what it contains. Our “yay” files should contain any positive comments from clients or friends or coworkers, summaries of goals we’ve achieved, or anything else that makes us feel good about ourselves.

We need to keep a “yay” file around not so we can enlarge our egos, but for rainy days when it seems like life is spinning out of control, or when things just suck, and especially when things seem to be going horribly for a very long time.

Our “yay” file serves as a pick me up when we’re in the midst of trouble or bad days and we feel like giving up. It’s not meant to solve any problem other than the one we have with ourselves. We’re still responsible for doing what we can in the present to fix the messes we make. But even while we’re fixing the messes, we still can’t fall into the trap of beating ourselves up continuously, even for mistakes or screw-ups we make.

I’m including myself in this advice, which is why I’m saying “we” instead of just “you.” I have a hard time recognizing my accomplishments, and I know I need to remind myself more of them. So to create my “yay” file, I’m going to open up a text file, start copying the positive things I can find from social media and email and all the other places they show up, and make it a point to add some time to my daiy schedule to take a look at the file, because I need to constantly remind myself.

Now it’s your turn. Do you plan on creating a “yay” file, and if so, how will you do it? Is adding time to your schedule to look it over something you’ll consider doing? Let me know in the comments.

And thank you, Curtis McHale, for a totally awesome tip that’s applicable in multiple situations.


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