A marathon runner crosses the finish line and no one claps. No music, no metal, just silence. Would they run again? Welcome to message 368 of the Growth Instigators hotline, where we ignite your personal and professional development. I'm Aaron Havens, your host and growth coach Winning Leadership Wednesday Recognizing and celebrating.

Coach Winning Leadership Wednesday recognizing and celebrating wins. Okay, so here's the one big idea I want to land today. Celebration is not the reward, it's the reinforcement. That's right. When you celebrate a win, you're telling your brain and your team this was worth it. Let's do that again. But we're not great at this, are we? I mean, we hit the milestone and immediately shift into well, what's next? Yay, we finished the project, and barely high five. Before we dive into the next fire, the next project, the next thing, let me tell you what I've learned.

Uncelebrated progress feels like invisible progress, and invisible progress leads to burnout, disengagement and a culture where people only hear what's missing, not what's working. Here's a pretty direct quote from Mary Kay Ash. There are two things people want more than sex and money it is recognition and praise. And she's right, because celebration fuels repetition, it shapes culture, it creates velocity. When your people feel seen for what they've done well, they'll show up stronger for what's next. So ask yourself what small win have you overlooked this week? Who on your team deserves a moment in the spotlight, and what system do you need to put in place to celebrate consistency, not just occasionally? Thank you for calling Growth Instigators Hotline. If you think I can help you or your team, shoot me a text and let's chat about how I can help. I'd love to hear from you today, though. I want your thoughts. So, after the beep, answer this one question what's one win you've skipped over recently that deserves to be celebrated? And, as always, keep instigating growth in all you do.