Small Wins Are Still Wins

The Big Stuff Gets All the Glory

We celebrate major releases, public launches, and big refactors like they’re the only things that matter. And yeah, those moments are awesome. But they’re also rare. Most of your career won’t be made of those.

It’ll be made of:

• Finally fixing that UI bug you’ve been avoiding
• Understanding a regex pattern without crying
• Writing your first test case that actually passes
• Explaining something clearly in a code review
• Asking a smart question in standup

None of those will trend on Twitter. But they matter. They’re progress. And they stack.

Why Small Wins Matter More Than You Think

Small wins:

• Build momentum
• Reinforce learning
• Boost confidence (without ego)
• Create visible progress
• Make you resilient when the big stuff fails

When you're early in your career, these are everything. They're the bricks of your foundation.

You Don’t Level Up All At Once

You don’t go from junior to senior in a single sprint. You don’t master debugging after one good fix.

Growth in tech (and in life) is compounding. One small win at a time.

Stack enough of those? Suddenly you’re the one others come to for help. Not because you made a big splash, but because you built something solid.

Celebrate Them. Out Loud.

Don’t downplay your progress.
Don’t wait for someone else to recognize it.
Call it out:

• "I finally wrapped my head around promises!"
• "Got through a whole day without impostor syndrome!"
• "Refactored something without breaking the app!"

This isn’t bragging. It’s building self-awareness. It’s tracking your trajectory.

Keep Stacking

You don’t need a breakthrough to move forward. You need consistency. You need patience. You need to keep showing up.

And you need to notice the wins, even when they’re small.

Because small wins are still wins. And they’re how you become the developer you’re trying to be.