Are You a Winner?
The Sneaky Thing Your Brain Does to Discount Small Wins
My daughter Bree is amazing. She has a full-time job and a “side hustle” that is her passion called “Get To, Not Have To.” She has built an online community that you can join here. She’s an inspiration to thousands. We are always sharing books and doing our best to inspire and empower the people we serve. Her blog post this week was truly exceptional, and I thought it would bring value to you as it did to me. Bree writes:
There’s something your brain does that almost nobody realizes is happening:
It minimizes progress. Not big, obvious progress… But the small wins that actually create long-term change.
You hit your workout ? “That doesn’t count, it was short.”
You improved your meals ? “Still not perfect.”
You stayed consistent for a week ? “But look what I used to do…”
Meanwhile…
If someone else had those same behaviors? You’d be wildly impressed. This isn’t a mindset flaw. This is wiring.
Your brain is designed to normalize improvements quickly — which means growth often stops feeling like growth even while it’s happening.
And when progress doesn’t feel dramatic… People assume nothing is changing, which is how perfectly good momentum gets abandoned.
Confidence is not built from massive transformations. It’s built on properly recognizing small, repeated evidence.
In our world of media sales, we might say things like this to ourselves:
You hit your monthly goal ? “It was an unexpected agency buy.”
You made more calls this week than last ? “Still not where you want to be.”
You asked for an annual this week ? “Yeah, but I don’t always ask for annuals.”
Sound familiar?
Here’s where James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, comes in. He writes:
“Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.”
And maybe his most powerful line:
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”
Read that again, please.
- Every annual you ask for.
- Every deeper question you pose.
- Every time you prepare instead of winging it.
- Every proactive follow-up.
That’s a vote.
You don’t become a trusted advisor because of one massive quarter. You become one because of repeated, small, professional behaviors that compound.
James Clear also reminds us:
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
Small wins aren’t accidental. They are system evidence.
Booked one more first appointment this week? That’s system progress.
Customize one proposal instead of sending a template? That’s system progress.
Had one courageous pricing conversation? That’s system progress.
But your brain will try to tell you: “It’s not enough.”
Here’s the truth: Confidence is built from properly recognizing repeated small evidence.
If you consistently:
- Prepare
- Ask
- Follow up
- Learn
- Adjust
You are winning. It may not feel dramatic. It may not trend on LinkedIn. It may not even impress you yet.
But compound that over six months? 12 months? Five years?
Exceptional careers are built quietly — one vote at a time.
So, here’s the question for you as you start your week:
Are you discounting your progress? Or are you recognizing the evidence?
Because winners aren’t people who never struggle. They’re people who stack small wins long enough for the compound effect to show up.
Stop. Take a deep breath. You’re growing, and it’s happening more than you think. Don’t let your brain tell you otherwise.
Think Big, Make Big Things Happen!
Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development. You can reach him at Jeff.Schmidt@RAB.com. You can also connect with him on X, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
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