Years ago, when I was an aspiring undergrad psychology student, my cousin bought me a VHS copy of Bill Murray’s “What About Bob” – yes, a VHS copy – for those of you who don’t know what that means, email me.  I’ve watched it dozens of times by now.  In fact, I would run the first 10-15 minutes when I was teaching Psych 100 and ask the students, “how many issues can we diagnose here.”  It’s a great movie – despite the years-old rumors that the two leading men didn’t get along very well while film.

In it, Richard Dreyfuss plays a big time Psychiatrist (that’s a medical doctor, an MD, who can prescibe medication – NOT what I do) who wrote a book called “Baby Steps”.  It was a gigantic book that illustrated this fairly small idea – small changes in our day to day lives can produce big results.  I’ve since called it, in my work, “small wins.”

At the start of a new week, it’s easy to focus on everything that feels unfinished.

The goals we haven’t reached.
The tasks still waiting.
The changes we meant to make but haven’t yet started.

Over time, this focus can become discouraging. It can leave us feeling as though we’re always behind—always trying to catch up.

But there’s another way to begin the week. One that is quieter, but far more powerful.

It starts with paying attention to small wins.

A small win might not look impressive from the outside. It might be as simple as getting out of bed when it felt difficult. Answering one email you’ve been avoiding. Taking a short walk. Making a healthy choice. Starting something—even briefly—that you’ve been putting off.

Individually, these moments may seem insignificant.

But psychologically, they matter more than we often realize.

Each time we complete a small, meaningful action, our brain registers progress. That sense of progress can create a subtle but important shift. It can increase our sense of agency—the feeling that we can influence our lives, even in small ways.

And that feeling matters.

When we focus only on large goals, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Big changes require time, effort, and sustained energy. When those don’t happen quickly, we may begin to lose momentum.

Small wins work differently.

They are immediate. They are achievable. And they create forward movement.

Over time, they build something important: confidence through action.

Instead of asking, “How do I fix everything?” a more helpful question might be, “What is one small thing I can do today that moves me forward?”

That shift—from everything to one thing—can make all the difference.

Research in psychology has shown that progress, even in small increments, is one of the most powerful drivers of motivation and well-being. When we notice and acknowledge small wins, we reinforce the behavior that created them.

In other words, we become more likely to keep going.

As this week begins, consider trying a simple practice:

At the end of each day, write down three small wins.

They don’t need to be big.
They don’t need to be perfect.
They just need to be real.

Over time, this practice can gently retrain your attention—away from what’s missing, and toward what’s moving forward.

And that shift can change how the week feels.

Not perfect. Not complete.
But in motion.

Wishing you a meaningful week ahead,

Dr. Dan