Recognition

I used to be a runner.?I was not a fast runner or a marathon runner, but I showed up and was very proud I could do it.? I started running?only to attempt to impress my then, dreamy boyfriend, now husband.? I continued? because I freaking loved it.?( I would smile and greet other runners but did not join in others conversations or groups while running, because I was not a psychopath, I was just annoying)? Research would say that I was intrinsically motivated to run. Two things that stole my joy were keeping track of my times and comparing my results to others results.

Fast forward to now. I had to give up running, and I miss it everyday. I walk now, with my Chief Joy Officer, Hobbes. I try to tell myself it is similar to running and had almost convinced myself until this week when I came upon the pictured speed sign. I felt like I was cruising at a good pace but the sign showed nothing. NOTHING. The next day a runner went by and it lit up! With a number! It recognized his speed and not mine?? It actually hurt my feelings.

Where am I going with this? I have been doing a deep dive into to how to give the kinds of recognition, appreciation and rewards that people feel and respond to. Humans are funny. Most do not get into spats with inanimate objects that ignore their efforts, but they do hope to be seen, heard and make a difference. They do hope that they are known as a human, not a COG. They do hope that their efforts are for a reason. So, in this circumstance, some recognition would have been welcomed.

For this purpose,?recognition, according to WorkHuman, primarily centers around specific, tangible accomplishments, achievements, or outstanding performance. Recognition is honoring someone based on results or performance, meaning it can be catching someone doing something well, overcoming a big obstacle, or simply sticking with a hard thing.

Let's practice some recognition. What could the sign have said to me that would have kept me walking with joy and purpose?