The Simple Reason Why You Should Ditch Your Trophies
Why you should or shouldn’t ruminate on past victories.
My dad threw his trophies away and I never understood why. They were big, fancy, and awesome to look at. He was a world class athlete, winning most triathlons he entered, along with swim races and track events. This continued through his 20s and 30s.
In short, he was too humble to keep them and didn’t want the clutter in the house. It wasn’t unusual for him to win a race, not tell anyone he won it, and then throw the trophy away. Dad might have been on to something, albeit unintentionally. Trophies can be great but also problematic without people realizing it.
The long shadow of your greatest success
Trophies are valuable when their symbolism brings joy into your life. Recalling past positive experiences is proven to improve happiness, relationships with friends, and overall mood.
My 3rd place medal from the Atlantic 10 Swimming Championships is my crowning athletic achievement. It represents a year of hard work, and testing myself to see how far I could go in the sport. Having been a slacker for so many years, it was the long-delayed realization of my potential.
