HABITS give us the results we want but the real reason habits matter is that each action you take is like a vote for the person you want to become. And we become what we repeatedly do. Small daily actions and small wins take you towards your goal, enabling and empowering you to form good eating and lifestyle habits which will result in sustainable weight loss.
And this is where the importance of small wins comes in. Small wins help you feel like you’re accomplishing something. Focus too much on the big goal and you’ll feel like you’ll never get there. Small wins motivate you to keep on going – and eventually that big goal is reached.
The small daily wins also trigger a shot of dopamine, the pleasure neurochemical, and this is crucial for motivation. If you have dopamine working with you rather than against you then you’re on to a winner.
I always tell people on my Slimpod programme to jot down three small wins at the end of the day that stand out as being a bit different and could be attributed to their Slimpod.
I call this a Success Log and I’ve made mine out of a lovely journal I’ve kept over the years. The differences can be improvements about your eating, your movement or the way you’re feeling. How you’re feeling is fundamentally important to your weight loss journey because that’s what’s going to give you the fuel to keep going!
An inspiring Success Log
The Success Log is based on a psychological principle called priming and this is about letting your brain know you have something important for it to notice. So by writing down the good things that are happening in your day, this encourages your brain to notice more of them.
It’s one of the golden rules of the brain. The more you notice, the more you will. Think about this for a moment. If you’re thinking about changing your car and getting a new one in red, suddenly all you see every day is red cars.
What’s on your mind is brought to mind. Same with food. If you’re spending your day thinking about your next meal, food is what occupies every waking moment.
So you have to retrain your brain to notice things that will move your focus of attention to things that are healthier for you and the Success Log is part of that process.
We all lead such busy lives and unless you stop and think about your wins and positives they’re likely to go unnoticed. Seeing is believing!
Do let me know about your small wins by leaving a comment below. I love reading about all your successes!
12 thoughts on “How daily small wins magically lead on to achieving a big goal”
Thanks for putting this process into words, Sandra. For several months now I’ve been dramatically reducing my carb intake. At the start I was logging it in my daily successes just before going to sleep, because it was such a change from my norm. Now I still write it down, but more as an affirmation because I’ve noticed I feel so much better as I lie down to sleep! I’m still slightly surprised, but ultimately proud, that I’ve integrated this change into my life! Does that make sense? ?
I have set a small goal to lose 3lbs by the end of October and have a daily small win of eating fresh fruit or vegetables each day and use the ‘chain’ to keep me focused by putting a thumbs up in the calendar on my phone as I don’t want to break it! It’s working along with other small wins of walking everyday and going to some fitness class on my days off-feeling much healthier and more flexible.
I fell off the wagon, so to speak but, lying in bed this morning reading about writing in the little things in your success log has given me back my mojo ???????
Helps u understand more about why u r doing this x
Thanks for explaining that concept it now makes perfect sense xx
I’m on holiday at mo for a week so I can focus on my routine again as I’d lost it a bit, got fed up, but this is great to think of little goals –
Going into town clothes shopping,
actually going in my new car ? and it’s red lol
Having my God son today doing exciting things playing in garden making mud pies ??
Keeping my self busy is the best thing.
When I watch TV on a night there’s lots of adverts about food which are annoying to make you want to eat it’s not fair, when ya feeling munchy
But I still listen to my Slimpod every night when I remember so it does help alot.
Thank you for your input into my daily life to keep me going this will help ?
Thank you for this little pep talk. I have found it interesting to read and a good reminder to stick with the Slimpod habit.
It’s so true, you always have to have a BIG goal but it’s the little goals and differences along the way that keep you motivated and heading to the big goal. The small goals really do keep you focused and then the big goal is not as unacchievable as you think. Keeping a note makes such a difference and reading back over them so how much you have achieved is a good way to go. Just allow yourself time to get to it, it not a race.
I’ve just completed the first 7 days. When a friend messaged me about slim pod I was at a stage where I just didn’t know what to do. Done every diet going and felt really low and fed up. I’m just a week I feel amazing and lost 5 pounds. I’m still worried it will all ware off as I had some hypno sessions years ago only had 3 sessions but it wore off. Been reading all the face book comments and feel a bit optimistic x. Thank you slim pod x
I have just started and I have listened to my pod loads and I have written in my book every night……..I have put the amount of steps, yoga and anything nice I have done that day like seeing daughters, grandchildren etc
Thank you for that I have not long started with slimpod but already I am picking fruit over chocolate and there has been no snacking!!! I used to do 10mins of yoga a day and it was a chore now I look forward to doing 30mins and really enjoy it although I don’t think I have lost any weight but am feeling happy and positive.
Hello, I have just started & wondered if anyone would like to share examples of ‘wins’ because mine a a bit repetitive! eg. Drinking water, doing a couch 2 5k run, eating a healthy lunch.
Thanks