At the start of any new initiative, whether it is launching a business, adopting a healthier lifestyle, or leading a new project, big goals create excitement. They provide a clear destination, something bold to aspire to. But often, the initial enthusiasm wears off. Reality sets in. The complexity of the journey looms larger than the finish line, and people lose motivation. The paradox of big goals is that the very scale that inspires can also overwhelm.

The Psychology of Progress

Human beings are wired to respond more powerfully to progress than to distant achievement. Research in psychology shows that the perception of forward movement, even in small increments, creates dopamine responses that reinforce motivation and resilience. In other words, when we see evidence of progress, we become more likely to continue. Small wins act as proof points that success is possible and within reach.

Why Small Wins Matter More

Unlike grand goals, small wins are tangible, repeatable, and build momentum. They create a reinforcing cycle: success generates confidence, which fuels further action. Small wins also reduce the fear of failure. Missing one small step does not derail the journey; it becomes a learning moment rather than a crushing setback. This shift in mindset makes resilience more sustainable.

The Connection to Thriving

Progression Theory defines thriving as making meaningful progress on the things that matter most. Thriving is not about perfection or achieving some ultimate state; it is about steady, deliberate movement forward. Small wins are the clearest evidence of thriving because they represent lived progress. In this sense, small wins are another way of saying progress itself. They are current indicators of our performance, while big goals are lag indicators. If we focus only on the completion of a big goal, we may not find out until too late that there were problems that could have been fixed along the way or opportunities that could have been discovered. Small wins embody the principle that perfection is never possible, but progression is always possible.

Leadership Lessons in Small Wins

Leaders often set grand visions, which are important for direction. But their most powerful tool for building engagement is helping people see and celebrate small wins along the way. A culture that notices incremental progress reinforces alignment and resilience. It also reduces drama by shifting focus from what is missing to what is working.

How to Harness the Power of Small Wins

1. Define the next step clearly: Instead of only articulating the end goal, identify the immediate action that moves things forward.

2. Celebrate visible progress: Recognize and reinforce each win, no matter how small, as evidence of momentum.

3. Reframe setbacks: View missed steps not as failure, but as opportunities to learn and adapt.

4. Connect progress to purpose: Remind teams why small steps matter and how they tie back to the bigger vision.

5. Link small wins to big goals: Show how each incremental victory contributes to achieving the larger destination. This reinforces that small wins and big goals are not competitors but allies, with the big goal giving direction and small wins providing the energy to keep moving.

Resilience Through Progress

In times of challenge, the discipline of small wins becomes even more critical. When thriving feels distant, small wins provide proof that resilience is possible. They help people reframe overwhelming challenges into manageable actions, restoring agency and hope. Momentum builds not in giant leaps, but in steady steps that compound over time.

Big goals may set the direction, but small wins carry us forward. They keep motivation alive, build resilience, and create the momentum that makes thriving possible. The most sustainable path to performance is not in chasing perfection, but in stacking small, deliberate victories. Small wins and big goals work best when they support each other: the big goal provides the horizon to aim for, while small wins supply the proof and energy to keep moving. Leadership is about helping people see and seize these wins until progress becomes a habit and thriving becomes reality.

If you're interested in learning more about organizational development, human relations, leadership, and similar topics, we'd love you to sign up for our monthly Positive Leadership Journal.