How to reward yourself for success so that you want to achieve even more

1. Choose a reward that is consistent with your purpose

If your goal is to lose weight, do not celebrate a couple of lost pounds with high-calorie ice cream. And if you are striving to become a millionaire, then do not reward yourself for the 100 thousand earned by a big waste.

A hearty dinner can negate the benefits of a successful workout, and buying an expensive smartphone can significantly reduce the amount of saved money.

But it's not only that. By rewarding yourself with what is contrary to your goal, you are instilling a bad habit in yourself. Once you get tired of working hard, the urge to eat or buy something will take over. This kind of motivation just doesn't work in the long run.

2. Don't substitute a reward for a goal

Psychologist and writer Alfie Cohn in his book Punishment by Reward. What's wrong with school grades, incentive systems, praise and other bribes”argues that thoughts of reward are distracting. We view the challenge as an obstacle to receiving the award, rather than striving for outstanding results.

Remember, rewards are there to celebrate success and remind yourself that you can do it. And the real goal is the same ten pounds dropped and a million rubles earned.

3. Cheer yourself up every step of the way

You probably know what awaits you when you reach your big goal. But it’s just as important to think about less significant rewards that will delight you every day. Here are some examples of nice little things:

Finish every half hour of work with five minutes of rest.
Read a book or watch a movie in the evening to relax a little.
Buy a houseplant and place it on your desk. It will remind you that you recently completed a serious part of the case.
Treat yourself to a useful little thing. For example, you may find it more pleasant to sit down at your computer again if you have new headphones, or go to the gym wearing new sneakers.
Take a day off at the end of the week and do whatever you sacrifice for work on weekdays.

Just remember that the reward should be commensurate with the task accomplished. Leave serious rewards for big goals. For an hour and a half of work, you hardly deserve to watch a two-hour movie, but a coffee break is easy.

4. Don't postpone the encouragement until later

Imagine teaching your dog a difficult command, but only giving the bone a few days later. It is unlikely that you will consolidate the result.

Even a token reward on time will help keep you motivated.

5. Remember: knowing the reward is just as important as receiving it

Clinical psychologist Jillian Needlman encourages people to be aware of their victories - even very small ones - while receiving a reward. In moments like this, tell yourself what work you did, what skills you used to do it, and how it brought you closer to your big goal. This is a good exercise for building self-esteem.

Sometimes we need a voice that says that we are great and we have the strength to cope with new challenges. And we can provide such support to ourselves.