Self-Reward Systems

The day you stop rewarding your effort is the day you start doubting your progress. During career transitions, it’s easy to feel stuck when the big outcomes don’t arrive right away - whether that’s landing the job, signing your first client, or hitting a revenue goal. But those outcomes often take time and are influenced by factors outside your control. That’s why I encourage my clients to reward the effort, not the outcome. Here’s why it matters: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Effort is within your control. Rejection or a slow start doesn’t equal failure, it just means timing wasn’t right. 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 & 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝘁: Redundancy, career change, or job loss can trigger feelings of low self-worth and imposter syndrome. If you measure success only by outcomes, rejection feels personal. When you celebrate effort, you remind yourself that progress is happening even if the big win hasn’t landed yet. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲: Rewarding effort keeps you curious enough to try new approaches. 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Transition into the next chapter can take time. Celebrating small wins builds positive habits that ultimately lead to the outcomes you want. So how do you make this practical? ➡️ 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲: Step 1: Set 3 to 5 weekly effort goals (e.g., update resume, LinkedIn, apply to two chosen aligned roles, reach out to three contacts, practise interview prep 20 mins, or prioritise self-care, walks, journal). 🌟 Reward the fact that you planned and committed to actions you can control. Step 2: Daily action tracking. Write down what you did, not just what happened. e.g., “Sent two applications, scheduled a coffee chat. Tick it off and acknowledge: Effort = Progress. 🌟 Reward yourself with a small daily ritual: a tea break, a walk, or simply saying, “Well done, I kept moving forward.” Step 3: Midweek check-in. e.g. Ask: Am I staying curious? What did I learn? Do I need to adapt my approach? 🌟 Reward curiosity itself, not whether it “worked.” Step 4: Weekly reflection (Friday) Capture what you tried, what you learned, what felt hardest, and what you’ll adjust. Celebrate: even if no job offers yet, you’re building resilience, confidence, and visibility. 🌟 Reward idea: treat yourself to a nice meal, time with loved ones, or your favourite activity. Step 5: Monthly reflection & reward (end of month). Look back on the month: notice progress in skills, networking, confidence. Celebrate the consistency of your effort. 🌟 Reward with something special, e.g. a new book, a short trip. P.S. What’s one effort you can reward yourself for this week? P.P.S. See comments for practical steps for transitioning into business/self employment. _______ ♻️ Repost to help someone in transition kickstart their new week.

I track all my habits in a Google Sheet. Why? To face reality — head-on. Tracking reveals the truth about my discipline. If I miss a habit? The sheet reminds me. It becomes difficult for the brain to trick me into delusions. If I complete one? Ticking it off feels great. Ticking off is a micro-reward. This is called gamification → rewarding yourself for completing something. You can also tie bigger rewards to habits: → Complete habit X for Y days → Earn reward Z. For example: Want new headphones? Only allow yourself to buy them if you stick to exercising for 30 days. Tracking shows the reality. Gamification keeps you motivated. And it makes building habits interesting. The ultimate reward? Achieving your main goal — like running a marathon. Here’s how far we’ve come on this journey of understanding habit systems: 1. Set a Goal 2. Create a Plan 3. Set Reminders 4. Track the Inputs 5. Set Micro Goals 6. Gamify Using Rewards — This is Day 6 of the #10DaysOfUnderstandingHabits series → Habit Systems 2 → Tracking, Gamification, and Rewards. —   More in the comments.

Imagine you have something very important to do, but you don't feel like doing it. The weight of the task looms over you, and you find yourself caught in the grasp of procrastination and lethargy. As time slips away, you realize that not taking action could result in missed opportunities, a sense of disappointment in yourself, and the nagging feeling that you let an important moment slip through your fingers. Don't let those precious chances escape! Seize the moment! Start Small: Scientific Reason: The "Zeigarnik Effect" suggests that our brain tends to remember and focus on unfinished tasks more than completed ones. By breaking a task into smaller steps, you create a sense of closure with each completion, reducing the mental burden and allowing your brain to concentrate more effectively. Set a Timer: Scientific Reason: The "Pomodoro Technique" capitalizes on our brain's attention span. Our concentration tends to naturally wane after a certain period of focused work. The Pomodoro Technique leverages this by encouraging short bursts of focused work (around 25 minutes) followed by a brief break, maximizing productivity without mental burnout. Create a Ritual: Scientific Reason: Our brains love patterns and associations. By establishing a pre-task routine, you're essentially creating a conditioned response that primes your brain for work. This concept is rooted in "classical conditioning," where a specific stimulus (your ritual) triggers a desired response (increased focus and motivation). Visualize Success: Scientific Reason: Neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to rewire itself, plays a role here. When you vividly visualize yourself successfully completing a task, you activate neural pathways associated with that accomplishment. This primes your brain to feel more confident and motivated, as if you've already achieved the goal. Reward Yourself: Scientific Reason: The brain's reward system, driven by the release of dopamine, plays a pivotal role in motivation and learning. By promising yourself a reward, you're essentially "hacking" this system. When you complete a task and receive a reward, your brain associates the accomplishment with a positive feeling, reinforcing the motivation to continue. #motivation #time #punctual #try #Friday #Nimiwrites