Why It’s the Small Wins That Matter.

“Have you ever felt like you’re not doing enough?”

You miss a walk.
You have one extra glass of wine.
You hit snooze three times and nearly skip your workout.

And then, the guilt sets in.
As educators, so often high-achieving, self-sacrificing, and deeply driven, we tend to focus on what we didn’t do rather than what we did. We beat ourselves up for slipping instead of pausing to honour the effort it took just to show up.

This kind of all-or-nothing thinking?
It doesn’t lead to growth.
It leads to burnout.

Shift your focus to progress, not perfection.

What if we stopped holding ourselves to impossible standards and instead celebrated the small wins?

Getting out of bed on a cold morning to move your body.
Bringing a nourishing lunch to school.
Drinking one less coffee.
Turning the light off 15 minutes earlier.

These might seem minor, but they’re actually super important. They are habits that are being shaped, values that are being lived, and self-leadership in action.

When we notice and acknowledge these small wins, we strengthen our belief that change is possible and oh so worth it.

Research shows small wins lead to big change.

Harvard researchers Amabile & Kramer (2011) describe this as The Progress Principle:

“Of all the things that can boost emotions, motivation, and perceptions during a workday, the single most important is making progress in meaningful work.”

Small, consistent actions boost motivation far more than sporadic, heroic efforts.

Stop being self-critical, and instead be compassionate towards yourself, because by doing this, it will help us to improve motivation, emotional regulation, and resilience. When we extend kindness to ourselves, we are more likely to keep trying rather than give up.

It’s like compound interest for your well-being.

Think of small wins like depositing coins into a savings account.

A single coin might not feel like much.
But with each deposit, something grows: your confidence, your consistency, and your well-being. Over time, those deposits compound into something powerful and lasting.

And when hard days come (because they will), you’ll have something to draw from, because you’ve already been investing in yourself, one choice at a time.

 Today, I want to help you flip the script.

Instead of asking what you didn’t do, ask:
✔ What did I do well today?
✔ Where did I persist, even just a little?
✔ How can I support myself without shame?

Here’s your invitation:
Celebrate your small wins. Honour the effort. Be proud of the persistence.

Because showing up, even imperfectly, is still showing up.
And that matters.

Let’s Reflect:

💭 What’s one small win you had today?
💭 What’s something you didn’t do but can forgive yourself for?

Share it with your community, journal it, or simply whisper it to yourself. You’re doing better than you think.