When Maya woke up that morning, she found it quite difficult to get out of bed. It wasn’t as a result of pain in her body or some kind of illness. Her room was messy, she couldn’t find the energy to reply any of her piled up emails, her motivation was somewhere far behind. Normally, she always found pleasure in ticking things off her to-do list. But lately, every task she was supposed to do felt like a burden.
This morning though, Maya decided she was going to do just one thing. She folded her blanket neatly and opened the curtains. Sunlight filled her room, and something in her shifted gently. She brewed coffee, sat by the window, and felt a flicker of control return to her. This was enough to assure her that she could start again.
That’s the magic of small wins for mental health. They are not the perfect state or big breakthroughs. They are the little victories that tell your brain, “I’m forward, no matter how slow it is.”
The Science behind Small Wins
When you complete a small task, for instance, making your bed, finishing an assignment, replying to one email, your brain releases dopamine. That is a neurotransmitter often called the “motivation molecule”. It’s your brain’s natural way of saying, “Well done. Keep going.”
Psychologist Teresa Amabile from Harvard Business School describes dopamine as a key biological component that fuels the Progress Principle. The Progress Principle is the idea that the most powerful motivator at work or in life is making progress in meaningful ways, no matter how small. When you achieve something, your brain marks it as progress, and that fuels your mood and momentum.
This simple neurological process explains why small wins are vital for mental health. They restore a sense of control, lift your mood, and spark motivation.
Why Small Wins Matter more than Big Goals
Big goals often sound inspiring but can also feel intimidating. When you are anxious, burn out, or depressed, they might even make you feel worse. You might feel like you are not doing enough.
Small wins, on the other hand, offer something sustainable. They shift your focus from “everything I haven’t done” to “what can I do right now.”
Here are the great things that these small wins can do to your mind:
- They reduce stress: When you complete a small step, your brain gets closure and relief.
- They boost confidence: You get to proof to yourself that your effort counts more than a perfect work.
- They build momentum: Once you complete a task, you are encouraged to go for the next one.
- They combat negative self-talk: Every small win you get, your mind tells you something close to this: “You’re not stuck; you’re moving.”
It’s not the size of the action that matters; it’s the fact that you decided to take the action.
What Small Wins Look Like in Real Life
For students, it could be turning in an assignment you almost gave up on or finishing a chapter in your project work.
For young professionals, it may be responding to that backlog of emails or just stepping outside for a breather instead of pushing yourself to exhaustion.
For parents or caregivers, it might be pausing for five minutes to take a cup of tea in silence, without feeling guilty.
And for older adults, a short walk, reading a few pages of a book, or trying a new recipe might be enough to brighten the day.
In a world that only celebrate huge milestones, we often forget that the smaller steps are what actually get us there.
How to Cultivate Small Wins in Everyday Life
The following are intentional ways you can start using small wins for mental health.
- Break down your big goals: If going to the gym or doing rigorous exercises feels too vague, why not try stretching for just 5 minutes or walking for 10? I had always wanted to improve my ability to speak French, but I felt I didn’t have the time. I just kept postponing it, until one day, I decided I was going to just settle for learning 30 minutes (no more, no less) in a day. Ever since, I’ve improved on my French speaking skills very significantly.
- Make your list realistic: When you have a compilation of unrealistic goals, you become discouraged just by staring at them. Write the tasks that you’re certain you can accomplish every day. Then count each one of them as victories when you are done.
- Notice and name your wins: Your brain remembers the wins that you acknowledge. Always say them loud like this: “I finished this… and that is a good win.”
- Create a ritual of reflection: Before you go to bed, jut down one of your small wins in a notebook or on your phone. Over time, you’ll see patterns of progress you did not even notice.
- Celebrate without comparison: We all have the tendency to compare our wins with other people’s progress. That should not be. It’s very okay even if your big win is someone else’s small win. Your pace is personal and you should be grateful for your own progress.
The Ripple Effect of Small Wins
What you start as a small act can create a chain reaction. From folding your blanket, you move to tidying up your space. After which you reply an email and they go for a walk. From there, you start to experience lightness in your body. The burden you once felt starts to fade away.
That’s the power of momentum. Tiny actions rebuild your trust in your abilities. They tell you that you are capable of following through, even on difficult days. Over time, these small wins stack up into something far greater: resilience.
Conclusion
When Maya opened her curtains that morning, she didn’t expect it to change anything. However, that tiny act of care turned things around for her. She was able to make breakfast, replied two of her piled up emails, and even took a short walk before noon. By the evening, all her problems did not sudden disappear, but she became more hopeful and proud of herself again.
That’s how small wins work. They don’t erase the hard days, but they give you the strength to move through them. So, if today doesn’t look so good, don’t wait for a big victory. Start taking small actions. Do just one thing and let it count for something.
