Year-End Review: Acknowledge the Successes, Focus on the Achievements
In this, my final blog post of 2025, I encourage you to focus not only on this year’s successes but on the achievements.
In my dissertation on achievement and self-definition, I defined achievement as “a sense of accomplishment for obtaining a desired outcome.” Said differently, an achievement is an emotive response that includes the internal value and personal meaning associated with success. A success, therefore, occurs when we obtain a desired outcome or accomplish something.
As I stated in my dissertation, “every success may not feel like an achievement, but every achievement requires a success… when the success has a special meaning or potentially life-changing impact, I consider the success an achievement.” You can succeed at a lot and feel you have achieved very little, especially if you don’t pause long enough to locate the meaning in what you’ve done.
Success Is the Receipt, but Achievement Is the Feeling
My research on achievement (publication forthcoming) supports the notion that successes are typically externally motivated, while achievements are internal responses. In other words, when accomplishments are pursued because it’s what you’re “supposed to do” (i.e., get a good job, make a lot of money, buy a house, get married, etc.), they may carry less meaning and, therefore, are successes but not necessarily achievements. Achievements, on the other hand, are the accomplishments that bring us joy, a sense of purpose, and confirmation that we are in alignment with our destinies. It’s important to note that our achievements may not be classified as such to others, but we don’t need their approval or validation for it to be true.
Here’s an example:
This year, I launched two new continuing education (CE) courses, taught 64 brilliant undergraduate social work students, earned tenure and was promoted to Associate Professor of Social Work, renewed my contract to continue my four-part speaker series with Stanford University for the second consecutive year, delivered an MLK Day keynote address, facilitated workshops and participated in three panel discussions, was interviewed on National Public Radio (NPR), grew a TikTok following of almost 2,000 followers in just over six months, kept building my brand as The Rest Doctor, and grew my LLC to be a 5-figure business by the end of its second year. These are successes; tangible, measurable, sometimes exhausting, but successes nonetheless. I have accomplished a lot!
The achievements, though? Knowing that the work I created and the messages I share through the various speaking engagements and social media posts help people heal and rest. Growing confident in my ability to trust my voice, reminding myself that I didn’t quit even when the numbers were confusing or the journey got cloudy. Honoring myself and unapologetically pursuing my rest over my production. And most importantly, knowing that I am following my spiritual assignment and trusting God in every stage of the process.
We experience achievement when we acknowledge the meaning, not just the metrics. Too often, high-achievers (especially us Black women) are so busy moving to the next goal that we don’t experience the achievement we’ve already earned.
You Can’t Recognize an Achievement If You Don’t Slow Down
One of the core messages I teach through my workshops on rest and capacity is this: rest increases self-awareness. In the realm of achievement, self-awareness makes space for celebration.
When you’re constantly rushing, grinding, or performing, success is reduced to one more box to check. But when you slow down, truly slow down, you start to sense the emotional meaning behind the wins. (And when no emotional meaning is present, you pivot until you find something that does elicit the response.)
This year, slowing down helped me recognize achievements like:
Honoring my capacity even when I wanted to push past it;
Choosing rest over perfection; yes, even as a recovering perfectionist;
Allowing myself to pivot without guilt;
Saying “no” without explanation; and
Teaching, speaking, and consulting in ways that felt aligned, not draining.
It’s important to note that my achievements aren’t big, flashy accomplishments easily identifiable by the general public. The general public only sees the list of accomplishments I shared in the previous section. Instead, my achievements are quiet internal shifts; the kind that make external success feel more grounded, more authentic, and more mine.
Slowing down allows us to recognize successes that are also achievements. It’s how we recognize the small-but-sacred moments that will matter ten, twenty, or even thirty years from now.
Your Achievements Reveal Who You Are Becoming
A year-end review should not only be about what you did, but about who you are and are becoming. When you reflect on your achievements, patterns emerge. And those patterns can guide your next season.
For me, 2025 revealed that I have become:
A woman who values meaning, purpose, and passion over metrics
A speaker and educator who prioritizes impact over volume
A business owner who leads with rest, not hustle
Someone who trusts her pace even when it’s slower than what others with similar goals say it should be
Your achievements provide insights into your growth. They highlight the parts of you that expanded, softened, healed, or strengthened, and they remind you that transformation isn’t always loud. Sometimes an achievement is the quiet courage, tiny pivots, or finally believing and investing in something about yourself that only you can see.
So as you prepare for 2026, don’t just count your successes. Sit in the achievements that shaped you, even if people can’t see it for themselves. Achievements aren’t about what brings external recognition, but internal satisfaction. Achievements are the “deep unrelenting feelings of elation, pride, joy, and personal satisfaction associated with life-altering and self-defining moments” that don’t need to be explained, proven, or justified. Achievements are the successes that feel real, that changed something inside you, and reminded you that you are steadily becoming the person you prayed for.
Be sure to celebrate them all!
✨ Call to Action: Step Into 2026 With Intention
Before the year ends, I want you to sit with three questions:
What were my successes this year?
Which of those successes felt like achievements? Why?
How do these achievements shape who I am becoming?
When you’re ready to step into 2026 more grounded, more rested, and more aligned, join me for my upcoming workshops and trainings designed for high-achieving professionals who want purpose, capacity, and well-being, not burnout dressed up as ambition. If you don’t see an upcoming event that fits you, book a consultation to bring me to your organization instead.
Your next season deserves a rested you and I’d love to walk with you into it!
FAQ
1. What’s the difference between a success and an achievement?
A success is accomplishing a task or desired outcome. An achievement is the emotional significance and internal meaning attached to that success.
2. Why is rest necessary for recognizing achievements?
Rest increases self-awareness, clarity, and emotional presence, allowing you to connect with the meaning behind your accomplishments instead of rushing past them.
3. How can I reflect on my achievements at the end of the year?
Consider what you accomplished, how it felt, what changed inside you, and what those internal shifts say about your growth and identity. A guided exercise or structured reflection (like the questions above) can help.
4. What does it mean if none of my successes feel like achievements?
This is a great opportunity for you to self-reflect on what brings you joy. Once you acknowledge your internal motivations (even and especially if they are not aligned with your current tasks), you can then set goals for 2026 that support your pursuit of achievement over success.
5. How does this relate to your work as The Rest Doctor?
In my consulting, speaking, and continuing education courses, I help high-achieving professionals build healthier relationships with rest, capacity, and self-worth so their achievements feel aligned and their successes don’t feel depleting.
