Small Victories to Big Success

As baseball fans know, home runs are fun, but games are won through “small ball.” Singles, stolen bases, bunts, good defense, and solid pitching are what champions use to win championships. That is, success rarely comes from a single astonishing act—it comes from continued persistence through small efforts that combine to form greatness.

I make a big deal out of this. At work, we have a gong that we use to announce our site launches. Everyone knows we launched something, and that’s important. Even if it’s the smallest, lowest profile project, it’s worth a gonging because someone on our team worked hard on it. It represents their excellent work and a victory for our team.

That is, success rarely comes from a single astonishing act—it comes from continued persistence through small efforts that combine to form greatness.

And that’s the key: recognize your victories, no matter how small, and celebrate them with everyone. It congratulates your team, makes people optimistic, and builds momentum. And it’s contagious – the momentum and positive atmosphere will keep everyone going strong and working hard toward a bigger goal.

You don’t need to throw a party (though sometimes you should!), but a thank you note for your staff or an email to your board can do a lot to share in the success.

So as you head into your work week, look for the next thing you could celebrate. Set small, reasonable goals for the next couple of weeks (finish the newsletter, make a fundraising milestone, etc.) and then celebrate the heck out of them.

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