We’ve all heard it (and I’ve said it—a LOT!)
Celebrate the small wins! ⭐
It’s a mantra for success I have repeated in leadership circles, project meetings, and retail coaching sessions with clients.
But if I’m being honest, how often do I actually pause to celebrate? It’s easy to get caught up in chasing the next goals and aspirations while forgetting the progress already made.
I read The Gap and The Gain[1] at the start of this year, and there was one concept in this book that resonated deeply. The idea is that we measure ourselves by how far we have to go rather than from where we started.
As we achieve and tick things off, we naturally look to the next ‘to do’ item on the list to tackle, often adding a couple more ‘to dos’ as we go.
I have done this!
The shift that Sullivan advocates? To measure where we have come from, rather than how far we still have to go. The horizon, by its very nature, is not something we ever reach, so constantly measuring ourselves against it will always have a gap. A gap we cannot close.
Here’s my example. Last year, I completed writing a book – Momentum. It was an effort that took close to a year to accomplish. Given the time of year it was when I finished, it could so easily have slipped between the cracks of the December-to-January haze.
I had a moment on a coaching call. When I opened the first copy of my book and my coach said to me, “Make sure you celebrate this,” I did the deflection, “Yeah, sure… I will…”
She pulled me up. Leonie spoke directly to me. Really. Celebrate the wins.
Feeling uncomfortable, I committed to doing it and set a date that seemed far enough away that I might be able to organise something by then.
That date has now passed a couple of weeks ago. If I had not set it way back in December, I would not have even considered making time to celebrate this year.
And what was great about celebrating?
I got to reconnect in person with so many people who have been part of my work life along the way. What I noticed about this was how many of these people I’ve known in multiple businesses, experiences, and retail projects.
How much I continue to value working with good people. They are, after all, for many of us what makes work a good time—or not. I am grateful for the goodwill of those people and the way that they have supported me along the way.
This experience reminded me that celebrating isn’t just about marking milestones—it’s also about acknowledging effort and fostering connection.
Ready to make celebration part of your leadership?
Here are some suggestions:
- Define How Progress is Measured
Measure success against where you’ve been rather than where you think you should be. This is not just mentally healthier—it’s smarter.
– Articulate success measures at the start of your project. This is an exercise we often do with project teams. We ask, “How will we know if we’re successful?” and look for indisputable measures.
– Example: In one project, we measured the number of spreadsheets that were ‘retired’ because of the project effort.
- Make It Personal
Generic praise doesn’t work. It can come across as disingenuous, which can undermine the good intent. Take the time to think about what the other person has contributed. Be as specific as you can about what was achieved and why it matters.
– Example: Instead of saying, “Great job,” try, “Your [specific quality] saved us [effort, rework, confusion] or made us [stronger, better prepared, more accurate]—thank you for [the contribution].”
– Bonus tip: Remember to celebrate yourself! Whether you treat yourself to lunch or write down personal wins in a journal, self-recognition builds confidence.
- Embed Celebration into Your Culture
– Create celebration rituals that align with your team’s vibe. These could include anything from acknowledgement during meetings to shared treats or finishing early (when you’re done, you’re done).
– Ensure inclusivity—celebrations should resonate with everyone on the team. If you’re celebrating yourself, make sure to acknowledge and include those who have helped you get to where you are.
TL;DR
As part of retail leadership, we often overlook small wins while chasing the next aspirational goals. We tick the box of ‘done’ and then move on to the next hill to climb. This is a pressure born of the pace that we set for ourselves, but it can also lead to disengagement and burnout in the teams we lead.
Diagnostic Questions:
✓ Do you measure success by progress?
✓ When was the last time you celebrated something small but meaningful?
✓ Are your celebrations inclusive and genuine?
The 5-Minute Challenge
Think about your last week at work. What’s one thing—no matter how small—that deserves recognition?
Maybe it was solving a problem or simply staying calm under pressure. Now celebrate it!
[1] The Gap and The Gain, Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy