Little kids are celebrated all of the time. We do a little dance when a three-year-old uses the potty, elementary spelling tests are covered in gold stars, and we cheer wildly when a ten-year-old eats his vegetables. Then life gets busy and all of a sudden, four years of high school pass by without celebrating any incremental successes. We tend to save the party for the end. I’ve focused a lot in previous blogs about the importance of failure, but now it is time to think about success.

Teresa M. Amabile of The Harvard Business School conducted a study called “The Progress Principle“. She proved that the effort of tracking small victories each day boosts motivation. Celebrating and recognizing our small wins, boosts confidence. Motivation and confidence lead to more action.

If we know that works in adults, let’s try it with teens. Let’s celebrate minor accomplishments to boost motivation and confidence in high school students

What should we celebrate?

A small change in a study habit that yielded a positive result
Taking the first step to get involved in a new extracurricular activity
Applying for a summer program or a part-time job
Registering for a challenging course load
Reaching out to a teacher for help
Completed college applications
Finished financial aid forms

How should we celebrate?

Recognition
- a card from mom
- a shout-out on social media
- a billboard with your kid’s face on it (just kidding, don’t do that. Ew, mom!)
Reward
- A trip to the ice cream store on a week-night
- Gift card to Target
- Twenty extra minutes on Netflix/video games
Relief from a chore
- Someone else unloads the dishwasher/cleans the bathroom

Our students aren’t perfect and by focusing on small achievements, we remind them they don’t have to be. Most teens need a boost in confidence and by celebrating the little things, we can provide the motivation they need to keep succeeding.