Winning is a Habit

Small wins are exactly what they sound like—and they play a crucial role in how keystone habits drive widespread change. Research shows that small wins hold immense power, with an influence far greater than their individual impact. As a professor wrote in 1984, “Small wins are a steady application of a small advantage. Once a small win is achieved, it sets forces in motion that favor another.” These incremental victories fuel transformative change, turning tiny advantages into patterns that reinforce the belief that greater achievements are within reach.

— Karl E. Weick

Not all of us are born into families that value self-efficacy and self-reliance—those that understand the power and importance of keeping score of each little advantage on a daily basis — moreover, not all of us attend schools with truly attentive, self-taught teachers.

What usually happens is that parents are teachers during the day who follow a curriculum designed to pass exams and go to the next grade.

When you understand the power of developing and nurturing your self-efficacy, you treat each day as an opportunity to know yourself, to discover your skills, to clarify what you value in life and people, and to recognize where you are weak and vulnerable.

Keeping a daily journal—written or digital—is the art of keeping score:

When you collect Daily wins — at the end of the week, you will have 5+ wins collected. Out of those wins, you will surely have the Win of the Week, which you can celebrate with a drink or trip. By the end of the month, you will have accumulated 30+ wins—and you will surely have the Win of the Month, which you can celebrate. Fast forward to the end of the year. You will surely have the Win of the Year.

Do this consistently and what you’ll discover is that your self-confidence, skills, competitiveness, and perspective has gained a valuable asset: you have a positive outlook of life.

As we like to close these blogs; challenges will present you the chance to overcome them, which is a Win. Defeat will present you the chance to bounce back up—which is a Win. A race or test will present you the chance to come out number one—which is a Win and Medal. 🎖️

Life is a game of momentum—keep stacking your wins, and soon, you'll be playing at a whole new level.

Cancelo Alvarez