When life feels tight or difficult, it’s easy to focus on what’s not going right. In this episode, we talk about how celebrating small wins—even the silly, ridiculous ones—can support motivation, build self-compassion, and help us practice progress over perfection.

We share real-life examples (like Shannon’s surprise “lip balm shot” into the trash, a stress-free elevator ride, and surviving a truly unpleasant parking garage) and explore why non-zero effort matters. The more we notice what’s going right, the more we can create a little ease and momentum—especially when we’re not finishing everything all at once.

What We Talk About

1. 00:38 — Why it helps to celebrate little things when life feels tight or difficult
2. 01:29 — Shannon’s “lip balm shot” into the trash—and celebrating it like a center-court basket
3. 02:46 — Celebrating the absence of a problem: a non-stop elevator ride when a dog encounter could have been stressful
4. 03:40 — Noticing when things go as expected—and letting that count as a win
5. 05:30 — Small wins as a “buffer” that helps us handle obstacles without getting knocked down as far
6. 06:00 — The parking garage story: building in extra time to reduce stress, then celebrating “nothing bad happened”
7. 07:10 — When progress doesn’t “count” because we didn’t finish—remembering non-zero effort matters
8. 10:38 — The motivation myth: believing we have to be hard on ourselves to keep going
9. 11:53 — Anchoring feeling good to progress: celebrating small wins as a way to rewire the pattern
10. 16:22 — Holding two truths: celebrating small wins while still caring about what’s happening in the world

Key Takeaways

1. Small wins support progress over perfection: When things feel hard, noticing what did go right helps us step out of the “nothing is enough” mindset.
2. Non-zero effort is real progress: If you took one step—even a small one—it counts, even if the whole thing isn’t finished yet.
3. Self-compassion fuels motivation: Being hard on ourselves can make action harder. Celebrating success (even tiny success) makes it easier to keep going.
4. Small wins create a buffer for tough moments: When we’re already a little “buoyed up,” setbacks don’t knock us down as far.
5. Celebration isn’t silly—it’s practical: Cheering yourself on can help reinforce the habit of taking action and build momentum over time.

The Bottom Line

Celebrating small wins isn’t about pretending everything is fine—it’s about giving yourself a practical boost when life is hard. When we practice noticing what’s going right (including the “nothing went wrong” moments), we feel better. And when we feel better, it’s easier to take action, stay motivated, and keep choosing progress over perfection.

Listener Action: This week, choose one small win each day—something you usually wouldn’t count—and name it out loud (to yourself or someone else). Then take five seconds to actually celebrate it.

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Want More Like This? (Related Episodes)

Episode 2: Rewards A true back-catalog throwback on rewarding yourself for progress (not perfection)—and how celebrating steps along the way helps you stay motivated (without the “I have to suffer to succeed” vibe).

41: Can It Be Too Easy? If you tend to dismiss wins that feel “too easy” (or too small to count), this episode is a great reminder that ease is allowed—and that letting things be easier can help you keep moving.

Episode 170: Give Yourself Credit If you tend to move the goalposts and only feel “done” when everything is finished, this episode is a gentle nudge to notice what you’ve already done—and to practice giving yourself that internal pat on the back.

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