Feel Good About Yourself – Log Your Accomplishments

Celebrate Your Accomplishments

You’ve spent your life achieving many things. They may not seem important or a big achievement to you, but these accomplishments make up a part of who you are. As you are on the road to rediscovering who you are, take into account the many things you have accomplished throughout your life.

If you’ve been on a job interview, you’ve most likely been asked “What is your biggest accomplishment?”. You may have been able to quickly rattle off the answer as it related to your career. But our accomplishments are more than what we achieve through work, although those make up a part of us as well.

How to Identify Your Accomplishments

Begin by making a list of everything you have accomplished. Start with the last 10 years then add to the list for the previous years until you have a list of at least 100 accomplishments. Under each one briefly describe the feelings, what you overcame and how it affected you. These stories will showcase your core values.

If you are having trouble thinking of achievements, think about when others have complimented you on something you did or you were recognized at work. Did you win an award, receive an accolade, or felt proud of something you did?

For example, maybe you’ve spent the last eighteen years raising three kids. Now they’ve grown into empathetic, confident, open-minded young adults. This is not an easy task in today’s world of taking the easy route. This is a major accomplishment. Be proud of it.

Maybe you overcame a tough adversity you had growing up. You found the courage to face your childhood traumas and pursue your dreams.

How about any promotions you’ve received? Each of these is an accomplishment that is a part of who you are.

Why a list of 100 or only 10 years? A lot can happen in 10 years and we often forget or overlook everything we’ve accomplished. It’s a great exercise to help you see the things you’ve done that make a difference and it strengthens your confidence in who you have become.

The first few on your list might be hard to come up with. Expect it to be challenging but stick with it. If you find yourself having trouble remembering, go back through old planners, calendars, and pictures to spark your memory. Use your social media accounts, and ask friends and colleagues as well to help you trigger memories. Think of the fun times as well as the times you felt joy. Don’t just think of major accomplishments like job promotions. Think more broadly about your whole life.

Prompts to Find Your Accomplishments

Here are a few more thinking prompts to get you started:

1. Where were you 10 years ago?
2. Did you have children or grandchildren?
3. What experiences did you enjoy?
4. Did you start a business, write a book or record a podcast?
5. Were/are you physically active? If so, what motivated you to become that way?
6. What vacations did you take?
7. Did you take any classes/ return to school/ get a degree?
8. What hobbies did you start or begin learning?
9. Are you a volunteer or freely help others with your talents?
10. Did you master a new skill?

Think outside the normal work accomplishments. Instead, have fun with the exercise. Once it’s complete you’ll begin to see how your accomplishments are related and relate to you as a unique individual.

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