We all love the rush that comes from lining up a Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal (BHAG) and smashing through it. The term itself was coined by business researchers Jim Collins and Jerry Porras to describe ambition-stretching targets that galvanise whole organisations (Collins & Porras, 1994). The late nights, tight deadlines and shared buzz are exhilarating.

Yet once the project is signed off, energy often falls off a cliff. You feel flat, restless, even guilty for slowing down. That emotional whiplash is normal – the human flywheel can’t spin at top speed forever. The question is how to decelerate without stalling.

Enter little wins – small, fast-finishing tasks that give you the satisfying click of a return key without another epic haul. Think of them as the shallow steps between a marathon finish line and the couch: gentle, momentum-saving strides that guide you into recovery instead of a sudden flop.

Why Your Brain Craves Little Wins

• Immediate feedback loop – Each ticked checkbox delivers a micro-dose of dopamine, reinforcing the sense of progress.
• Momentum maintenance – Like a fly-wheel rolling to a halt, gradual deceleration prevents the jarring stop-start effect that can sap motivation.
• Psychological safety net – Completing achievable tasks protects confidence during the post-BHAG lull; you remember you can still execute.
• Restorative practice – Small wins signal it’s acceptable to down-shift, laying groundwork for deeper rest or reflection later.

Research backs this up. Harvard’s Teresa Amabile, with Steven Kramer, calls it the Progress Principle—the idea that consistent headway on meaningful tasks is the biggest driver of positive emotions at work (Amabile & Kramer, 2011) Harvard Business Review Harvard Business School.

Spotting the Right Kind of Little Win

A true little win:

1. Completes inside a single work block – ideally 15–60 minutes.
2. Delivers a visible outcome – an email sent, a shelf organised, code compiled.
3. Requires minimal decision fatigue – save the strategy debates for next week.
4. Fits the runway – light enough to lift even when you’re mentally spent.
5. Aligns with broader goals – bonus points if it nudges the bigger picture a pixel forward.

Six Practical Little-Win Categories

| Category | Example | Tasks | Why It Works |
| Digital declutter | Archive old project folders, clear inbox rule filters | Clears space—physical and mental—for the next challenge.|
| Desk reset | Wipe the keyboard, replace sticky notes, restock pens | Visual freshness nudges cognitive freshness.|
|Connections maintenance | Send a two-line thank-you or feedback note | Keeps relational fibre strong without heavy lifting.|
| Process polish | Record a quick Loom tutorial, update a checklist header | Turns tacit know-how into future efficiency.|
| Learning micro-dose | Watch a five-minute how-to video, skim an article abstract | Satisfies curiosity without a rabbit hole.|
| Personal admin | Pay a bill, book a check-up, water the office plant | Removes nagging background noise from your focus.|

A Five-Step Little-Wins Routine

1. Take 5 to reflect – Step back and ask: What small tasks have been niggling at me?
2. Batch and sequence – Group similar tasks; rapid-fire execution boosts flow.
3. Time-box aggressively – Set a 25-minute Pomodoro or a three-song playlist; the ticking clock guards against scope creep.
4. Execute, then celebrate – When the timer dings, physically mark the task complete – ick a box, drag to “Done,” high-five the dog.
5. Log the win streak – A simple journal or habit-tracking app reminds you that progress continues even on “slow” days.

Little Wins in Action – Two Scenarios

1. Post-Project “Mop-Up Monday”

You’ve just delivered a six-month system rollout. Energy is low but the tick-box itch is high.

• 08:30–09:00 – Clear your downloads folder and recycle bin.
• 09:00–09:30 – Send personalised thank-you Slack notes to five key contributors.
• 09:30–09:45 – Update the project retrospective template with fresh lessons.

Outcome: workspace reset, relationships nurtured, future process improved—all before morning tea.

2. Freelance Friday Wind-Down

A consultant finishes a marathon client sprint on Thursday. Friday is for little wins that bridge to a weekend break.

• 10:00–10:20 – Reconcile expense receipts in Xero.
• 10:25–10:45 – Read a short case study on AI in leadership development.
• 11:00–11:25 – Tidy “Downloads,” flag three articles for deeper reading next week.

Outcome: admin cleared, inspiration sparked, brain given permission to slow.

Avoiding Common Little-Win Pitfalls

• Over-engineering the list – Planning a 20-item hit parade defeats the purpose. Curate ruthlessly.
• Confusing “easy” with “mindless” – A task should still matter; busywork erodes motivation.
• Skipping the celebration – Recognition, even private, is the payoff. Don’t rob yourself of the mini dopamine burst.

Bringing It All Together

Little wins are not filler; they’re bridges. They respect the rhythm of high performance – effort, achievement, decompression, regeneration. They let the fly-wheel spin down gracefully, turning residual kinetic energy into modest, worthwhile gains. In a world obsessed with BHAGs (Collins & Porras, 1996), they remind us that progress lives on a spectrum. Big breakthroughs and tiny triumphs belong to the same continuum of purposeful work.

So next time you tick off a monster milestone, resist the urge to collapse or immediately tee up the next summit. Instead, schedule a run of immediate-feedback tasks. Hear the satisfying click of the return key. Savour that sense of instant completion. Let the wins be little -the impact won’t be.

Ready to try? Block your calendar for a 45-minute “Little Wins Sprint” this week. Watch how quickly the spark returns.
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References (APA 7th ed.)
• Amabile, T. M., & Kramer, S. J. (2011). The progress principle: Using small wins to ignite joy, engagement, and creativity at work. Harvard Business Review Press.
• Amabile, T. M., & Kramer, S. J. (2011). The power of small wins. Harvard Business Review, 89(5), 70–76.
• Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (1994). Built to last: Successful habits of visionary companies. HarperBusiness.
• Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (1996). Building your company’s vision. Harvard Business Review, 74(5), 65–77.