Focus on the Process, Not the Applause
By Trent Carter
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Everybody likes being recognized.
It feels good when someone notices your hard work. It feels good when you get the promotion, receive the compliment, hit the milestone, or hear someone say, "You did a great job."
There's nothing wrong with enjoying those moments.
The problem starts when recognition becomes the reason you're doing the work.
Because applause is inconsistent.
Some of the best work you'll ever do will happen when nobody is paying attention. Some of your biggest improvements won't be obvious to anyone else. You can make the right decision and receive no recognition for it. You can work incredibly hard and watch someone else get the credit.
If you need applause to keep going, those moments become difficult.
But if you learn to focus on the process instead, something changes.
You stop needing other people to constantly confirm that you're moving in the right direction.
You already know.
Click here for my free ‘Focus On The Process, Not The Applause” worksheet
The Important Work Usually Isn't Exciting
We love outcomes because outcomes are easy to celebrate.
The promotion gets announced. The business reaches a milestone. The person loses fifty pounds. Someone celebrates another year in recovery.
Those are great moments.
But they're moments.
What created them was probably much less exciting.
It was getting up and doing the work again. Making another phone call. Going to another appointment. Having another difficult conversation. Following the plan when you didn't feel like following the plan.
Success usually looks pretty boring while it's happening.
We don't talk about that enough.
We want the breakthrough, but breakthroughs are usually built on hundreds of ordinary decisions that don't feel particularly important when you're making them.
One workout isn't going to transform your health.
One productive day isn't going to build a successful career.
One difficult conversation isn't going to repair a relationship.
One good day isn't going to create lasting recovery.
But repeat those things long enough and your life can look completely different.
That's the process.
Nobody Is Watching Most of the Time
There's a quote I've always liked: character is who you are when nobody is watching.
Whether we're talking about leadership, recovery, work, relationships, or health, I think there's a lot of truth in that.
It's easy to perform when people are watching.
It's harder to stay disciplined when nobody will know whether you did or didn't.
Did you do what you said you were going to do?
Did you make the responsible choice?
Did you finish the work even though nobody was checking?
Did you admit the mistake even though you probably could have gotten away with it?
Did you follow your recovery plan when nobody would have known if you didn't?
Those decisions rarely get applause.
They also happen to be the decisions that build your life.
Eventually, what you repeatedly do in private becomes visible in your results.
You can't fake consistency forever.
Recovery Is Built in Ordinary Moments
Recovery is another place where focusing on the process matters.
People naturally celebrate milestones, and they should. Thirty days. Six months. One year. Five years. Those dates represent a tremendous amount of work.
But recovery doesn't happen on the anniversary.
It happens on all the regular days between anniversaries.
It's going to the appointment when you'd rather cancel. It's taking your medication as prescribed. It's being honest with your provider. It's calling someone when you're struggling instead of waiting until things get worse.
It's recognizing a trigger and doing something about it.
It's choosing not to go somewhere you know isn't good for you. It's rebuilding routines. It's learning new ways to deal with stress, anger, loneliness, boredom, and disappointment.
Nobody is standing there applauding every time you make one of those decisions.
Most people probably won't even know you made them.
But they matter.
Recovery isn't built through one dramatic decision to change your life. It's built by continuing to make decisions that support the life you're trying to create.
That's why the process deserves your attention.
Don't Confuse Visibility With Value
We live in a world where visibility can easily be mistaken for value.
We see accomplishments, announcements, promotions, vacations, awards, transformations, new jobs, new houses, and business wins.
What we don't see nearly as often is the work behind them.
That can create the impression that everyone else is moving faster than you are.
They're getting recognized.
You're still working.
They're announcing something.
You're still building.
They're celebrating.
You're still trying to figure things out.
It's easy to start wondering whether you're doing enough.
Be careful.
Someone else's visible result tells you very little about where you should be in your own process.
More importantly, visibility doesn't automatically make something valuable.
Some of the most important things you'll ever do won't impress anybody.
Being dependable isn't exciting.
Keeping your word isn't flashy.
Showing up consistently isn't going to get you a standing ovation.
Doing the right thing when the wrong thing would be easier probably isn't going to make the news.
Do those things anyway.
Learn to Measure What You Can Control
One reason we chase applause is because we like knowing we're succeeding.
The problem is that we often measure success using things we don't completely control.
You can control the quality of your work. You can't completely control whether your boss recognizes it.
You can control how you prepare for an opportunity. You can't control whether you're selected.
You can control how you treat people. You can't control whether everyone likes you.
You can control whether you follow your recovery plan today. You can't control every challenge that might show up tomorrow.
When your definition of success depends entirely on outcomes or other people's reactions, you give away a lot of control.
Instead, start measuring the process.
Did I do what I said I was going to do?
Did I prepare?
Did I show up?
Did I make the best decision I could with the information I had?
Did I take responsibility when I got something wrong?
Did I stay consistent?
Those are questions you can answer.
And if you can consistently answer yes, the results have a much better chance of taking care of themselves.
Consistency Doesn't Always Feel Like Progress
One of the hardest parts of any process is continuing when you can't see immediate results.
You start exercising and don't see much difference.
You start changing your habits and life still feels difficult.
You put more effort into your work and nobody seems to notice.
You make changes in recovery and still have hard days.
This is where people often quit.
They assume that because they can't see the result yet, the process isn't working.
But progress has a delay.
A lot of things need time before the result becomes obvious.
You don't plant something today and dig it up tomorrow because you're frustrated that it hasn't grown yet.
You keep taking care of it.
Your habits work the same way.
Sometimes the only evidence you have that you're moving forward is that you did the right thing again today.
That's enough.
Do it again tomorrow.
Applause Can Become a Trap
Recognition can be motivating. But if you're not careful, it can also start changing your behavior.
Once you get used to being praised for something, you can begin chasing the praise instead of focusing on the quality of the work.
You start asking, "Will people notice this?" instead of, "Is this worth doing?"
That's a dangerous trade.
Leadership is a good example.
Some of the best leadership decisions aren't popular. Sometimes leadership means holding someone accountable. Sometimes it means saying no. Sometimes it means making a decision that benefits the organization long term even though people don't immediately understand it.
If your goal is to be liked by everyone, you're eventually going to have trouble leading.
You need to know what you're trying to accomplish and what principles you're unwilling to compromise to get there.
The same thing applies outside of leadership.
If you need everyone to approve of your decisions, you'll eventually start making decisions for the audience instead of yourself.
Build Standards Instead of Chasing Feelings
Motivation comes and goes.
So does recognition.
Standards are different.
A standard says, "This is how I operate."
I show up prepared.
I tell the truth.
I keep my commitments.
I take responsibility.
I ask for help when I need it.
I don't quit because I'm frustrated.
I treat people with respect even when we disagree.
Standards remove some of the negotiation from your day.
You don't have to wake up every morning and decide whether you're going to be dependable. You've already decided that being dependable is part of who you want to be.
You won't live up to your standards perfectly. Nobody does.
But they give you something to return to when you get off track.
That's far more reliable than waiting to feel motivated or hoping someone notices your effort.
Keep Going When Nobody Notices
There will be seasons when you're doing everything right and it feels like nobody sees it.
Keep going.
There will be times when someone else gets the recognition you wanted.
Keep going.
There will be times when you're improving, but the results haven't caught up yet.
Keep going.
This isn't about blindly repeating something that isn't working. Part of a good process is being willing to evaluate your approach, listen to feedback, and change direction when necessary.
But don't abandon good habits simply because they haven't produced applause.
Recognition is not proof that you're doing meaningful work, and the absence of recognition doesn't mean the work isn't meaningful.
Sometimes you have to be willing to work quietly for a while.
Let the Results Make the Noise
There's something powerful about becoming less concerned with convincing people that you're doing the work.
You don't need to announce every improvement.
You don't need to explain every plan.
You don't need everyone to understand what you're building.
Just build it.
Focus on what you can do today. Follow the process. Make the next good decision. Then make another one.
Eventually, consistency becomes difficult to ignore.
Maybe the result is a promotion. Maybe it's better health. Maybe it's a stronger relationship. Maybe it's a business that finally starts gaining momentum. Maybe it's another year in recovery.
Or maybe the biggest result is simply that you've become someone who doesn't need constant validation to keep doing what you know is right.
That's a pretty good outcome, too.
Focus on What Happens Next
Enjoy recognition when it comes.
Celebrate the milestones.
Accept the compliment.
Be proud of what you've accomplished.
Then get back to the process.
Because yesterday's applause can't do today's work for you.
At some point, you still have to wake up tomorrow and decide what kind of person you're going to be. You still have to make the call, attend the appointment, have the conversation, complete the work, follow the plan, or make the difficult decision.
That's where your attention belongs.
Not on whether everyone noticed.
Not on whether you received enough credit.
Not on whether someone else got more applause than you did.
Focus on the things you can control.
Show up. Be consistent. Keep your word. Learn from your mistakes. Make adjustments when you need to. Keep moving.
Do that long enough and you'll build something much more valuable than recognition.
You'll build a life that doesn't depend on it.
-Trent
About Trent Carter
Trent Carter is a clinician, entrepreneur, and addiction recovery advocate dedicated to transforming lives through evidence-based care, innovation, and leadership. He is the founder of Renew Health and the author of The Recovery Tool Belt.
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