We always celebrate the big wins. The contracts getting signed, the deals being made, the products getting launched.
Big wins are easy to celebrate. They’re recognizable (in fact, they kind of demand recognition). They represent the resolution or completion of things that your team has been working on for weeks, months, or even years. They have a definitive ending. They’re a little gaudy. They require cake or champagne (and maybe both).
But what about all of the little wins that lead up to the big ones?
Big wins don’t just happen. They’re made up of a bunch of small wins that happen every day by each individual and at every company.
Small wins look like getting half of your to-do list checked off. Being able to provide free snacks to your employees. Celebrating bdays.
Celebrating the small stuff is about creating a sustainable mindset. Big win hasn’t come yet? Well, at least we all showered today and got to work on time. Win!
Celebrating small wins is about being intentional and optimistic. When I first started Pink Stork, I set a notification on my phone so that every time I got an order, my phone would give a little “ding.” That little ding told me I needed to pack that order, but it was also a signal for me to celebrate. One more order was another person helped!
Big wins can be so stretched out. The weeks, months, or years that they take can leave a team feeling exhausted and depleted, especially if they aren’t celebrating all of those minor milestones that make up our daily lives. When you’re not celebrating the small stuff, small mistakes can feel like big mistakes. And those small mistakes can outshine the good that we’re all doing every day.
Right now is a time of thanksgiving, but it’s easy to get caught up in the year-end rush. No matter if you’re a CPG company or a non-profit, you’ve probably got lots of plans for the holidays, Black Friday, Giving Tuesday, and the New Year. When you’re running a business, it’s easy to get caught up in the go-go-go as you move toward big wins. What’s next? How can we do more? How can we continue to innovate and grow?
While those questions are important and there’s a time for them, I think it’s equally important to reflect on what you have done every day -- and really practice being grateful for those things.
No doubt the big wins will happen. But I think this time of year is also the perfect time to pause and reflect with your team on the many little things you’re accomplishing each day.
Celebrate those small wins. While they may not be champagne-worthy, they’re definitely worth a high-five, good job, or round of applause. Your employees will thank you. And the big wins just may feel that much sweeter when everyone’s much happier getting to them.