We’ve all had those days where the to-do list feels never-ending, and the big goals seem just out of reach. You know the ones—where you wonder if you’re even making progress at all. But what if I told you that the secret to long-term success isn’t in giant leaps, but in small, consistent wins?
I have recently had plenty of time to contemplate this
proposition—Do small wins matter?
Near the end of 2024, on New Year’s Eve eve, I fell. My trip down the seventeen steps from our home turned into a tail-over-teacup tumble landing head-first--POW--on the concrete landing. As I gingerly sat up, I knew this was a BIG ONE.
The neighbors came running, my husband’s boss lent him the company
van, we went to the ER, it only took 4 hours before the cat scan said no brain bleed, the ER doctor put 5 stitches on my eye bone, and I was home.
‘Don’t think’, were the basic instructions. My brain needed to recover.
Well, how does a person NOT THINK?
Recognizing Your Small Wins
What counts as a small win? Sometimes, it’s as simple as:
- Following the doctor’s (or your accountant or your coach’s) advice
- Finally following up. Make a call!
- Posting a piece of content that resonates with your audience
- Having a productive conversation that sparks a new idea
Each of these may seem minor in isolation, but together,
they build momentum, confidence, and, ultimately, results.
My Own Small Win Story
Here’s what I did to NOT THINK--nothing for about 3 weeks,
except cancel some client and other appointments in favor of seeing the docs.
I became, in those 4-5 upside down seconds, the kind of person whose calendar is color-coded with medical appointments.
After a few weeks, it was still hard to think. I mean, to follow a train of thought, to start a series of tasks (never mind finishing), to separate my thoughts from outside stimuli, but I was getting better.
If I thought too hard or too long, even a little, the result was painful. Not like a splitting headache or anything I’d experienced before, but my brain hurt. So I had to stop and rest. All the way till the next day.
Listen, I could still cook some, and eat, and follow a load of laundry through a full cycle from basket to drawer. But thinking was painful.
I realized after a while that I could not measure my progress from the day’s results or the week’s accomplishments. I could just do what I could do, and after a month, or two or three, now four, I could say,
'Well, I couldn’t do THAT in January. Or THAT in February.' It seemed like I was getting better.
By March I was working with a new coaching client.
By April, I was working on a big summer project.
By May, I was selling flowers at my church sale.
Notice Small Improvements
Some funny things happened. A team of volunteers I’ve worked
closely with for years had seen me at the end of February and again at the end of March. A couple of them came up, and with enthusiasm, one said
‘Oh, you look SO MUCH BETTER!’ (What did I look like in February, I wondered?)
And the second one said,
‘Yeah, I’ll bet we can’t pull the wool over her eyes NOW!’ (What wool, I wondered. And when were they pulling?)
And ZOOM AI, in a meeting summary with the same group, captured this:
‘A participant introduced a new topic as the meeting was already
running over, and Lorette asked to table the new topic. When the other party kept right on talking, Lorette said she was closing the meeting—she just couldn’t cope any more.’
How to Build Your Momentum
- Identify the next smallest step. Not the big, overwhelming goal—the one thing you can do today that moves you closer.
- Do that step. If it’s too much, take a smaller slice. Don’t downplay that. Count that as a win.
- Celebrate progress. Take a moment to recognize and share what you’ve done. That’s what I’m doing with this email.
- Create a habit of action. Whether it’s reaching out to one new connection a day or refining one piece of your business each week, be consistent. Do one marketing thing a day.
What’s Your Small Win Today?
Here’s mine. It’s May 8th now, and I can write this newsletter, because small wins add up in business too.
I worked a whole concentrated hour on this one day, and that was the win for the day. I finished it the next.
When you consistently pursue small wins, they compound over time. What starts as minor progress—one email, one connection, first draft of one
piece of content—snowballs into a business that is growing steadily and
sustainably.
Where am I in my Small Wins Story?
I’m noticing small wins and feeling them adding up.
It’s been over four months now, and I’m coping better. I managed
the flower sale at my church sale, though it was much harder than in previous years. I’ve signed up a pretty good-line up for the Farmers Market I manage, though I got started kind of late. And reached out to you, my small business friends.
All my medical team say I’ll recover...with time and doing what they say.
Rather than waiting for a big breakthrough, let's focus on the power of momentum--small wins are the fuel that keeps the journey going.
I might try that new trick-I just can't cope with this meeting overrun.
And don’t even try to pull the wool over my eyes!
Where are you? Let us know some of your small wins. They feel more real when you share them.
Lorette Pruden has helped hundreds of small business owners, sales professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders grow their businesses and manage that growth since 2000. She specializes in the Formerly Corporate—so many small business owners who’ve worked with her come from a corporate background that she finally wrote the book on it.
