Podcast Summary

Podcast: Mantra with Jemma Sbeg
Host: Jemma Sbeg (presented by OpenMind)
Episode: I Celebrate Small Wins
Date: November 10, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode is centered on the mantra “I celebrate small wins.” Jemma explores why recognizing small victories is essential for motivation, mental well-being, and lasting growth—especially in a culture fixated on big, visible achievements. She offers reflections, psychological explanations, personal anecdotes, and practical strategies to help listeners notice and honor their own incremental successes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Pressure of Big Wins vs. The Value of Small Wins

• Celebrating Only Big Wins

  • Society tends to only value major milestones (engagements, promotions, buying a house) which fit neatly into Instagram posts or LinkedIn announcements.
  • These “big wins” act like the “rib cage of the blueprint that society has given us for life.” ([04:58])
  • The fixation leads many to feel perpetually "in the waiting room"—waiting for the next milestone to feel valid. ([07:10])

• Overlooking Small Wins

  • Everyday progress—habits, building resilience, overcoming small personal challenges—tends to go unnoticed despite its significance in long-term growth.
  • This pattern is linked to the psychological concept of “arrival fallacy”: believing happiness lies at the next big milestone, causing us to dismiss daily victories. ([07:42])
  • “The big win is just an accumulation of all the other small, less visible moments stitched together.” ([10:13])

• Validation & Self-worth

  • Jemma underscores that “external validation is not a bad thing… but it cannot be the only source.” ([06:33])
  • Focusing exclusively on public milestones undermines the quiet, consistent work that builds resilience and self-confidence.

The Psychological Case for Celebrating Small Wins

• Neuroscience & Habit-Building

  • Celebrating small wins offers positive reinforcement, releasing dopamine in the brain and helping to wire-in positive behaviors for the long term. ([11:08])
  • “When you skip over those smaller wins, you actually starve yourself of that reinforcement, and the journey towards those bigger things starts to feel a lot heavier, a lot less sustainable.” ([07:53])

• Small Wins as Identity-Shaping

  • Every small win, no matter how trivial, “reinforces this identity that you are someone who follows through, who adapts, or who chooses differently than before.” ([11:45])

• No Audience Required

  • “They don’t also need an audience to matter. Their value lies in the way that they rewire how you see yourself.” ([11:50])

Real-Life Examples of Small Wins

Jemma describes a “small wins party” ritual where friends list their small monthly achievements on parchment. Examples include:

• Having a tough conversation
• Standing up for yourself when overcharged at a café
• Adding an extra bit of money to savings
• Going to the gym three times in a week
• Cooking at home instead of ordering out
• Not replying to emails at night
• Signing a lease
• Submitting a big assignment ([11:05])

“A small win is really any action or choice that shifts the trajectory of your day even slightly towards something more intentional.” ([11:57])

Jemma’s Personal Insights & Struggles

The Habit of Raising the Bar

Jemma admits to a constant “raising of the bar,” frequently discounting her own progress—a tendency made obvious by her experience training for a half marathon.

“At the start of the year, I could barely run 3km. Last weekend, I ran 18. And then I did this run the other day and it just went terribly… All my progress had gone out the window. That’s a sign. That’s the sign I needed, that this isn’t right for me.” ([15:30])

Her friend, a professional runner, pointed out the flaw in only focusing on failures and never allowing herself to celebrate previous wins.

“She was like, why can’t you just acknowledge all the other wins you’ve had before this? Like, what is stopping you from appreciating all the other good runs? How come this is the only run that you can focus on?” ([16:10])

The Spotlight on Failure

Jemma reflects on her own tendency—and the cultural tendency—to dwell on failures and setbacks more than achievements.

“As much as we love celebrating a big win, do you know what we like focusing on even more? A loss. A failure. Outrage. A misstep. Someone’s downfall. And that trickles down to us.” ([16:40])

Building Resilience and Self-worth

She observes that people with resilience “get excited by the tiniest of micro wins. And that is infectious.” ([17:30])

“We want to create almost a record of proof that you can return to when setbacks happen that interrupt the brain’s instinct to only focus on failure. Over time, this practice trains your attention towards what is working. That is the foundation of resilience.” ([18:17])

Practical Strategies for Celebrating Small Wins

Active Recognition

• Write down one thing you did well or are proud of each evening.
• Focus on getting “1% better each day.”
• Maintain a record of small achievements for motivation during tough times. ([18:00])

Sharing Your Wins (Capitalization)

• Share micro wins with close friends or family in a genuine (non-performative) way.
• Sharing positive events with others amplifies their effect, strengthens bonds, and boosts morale. ([19:32])

Reframing What "Deserves" to be Celebrated

• Challenge the internalized belief that only big wins count.
• Ask yourself: “If my best friend did this, how would I celebrate them?” Extend that same grace to yourself. ([21:58])

Cultural Barriers

Jemma mentions “Tall Poppy Syndrome” and how cultural or societal scripts discourage self-celebration, especially in Australia—but insists that celebrating your progress is about being honest, not egotistical. ([20:43])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On social validation:
  “The big wins are like the rib cage of the blueprint that society has given us for life.” ([04:58])

• On the ‘arrival fallacy’:
  “Life begins to feel like a constant state of not yet. When you’re only holding out for those monumental wins, everything in between can sometimes feel like filler. You know you’re living in the waiting room.” ([07:10])

• On the real purpose of small wins:
  “Small wins aren’t the filler between milestones. They are literally the architecture of what makes them possible.” ([11:40])

• On celebrating yourself:
  "Feeling proud of yourself does not make you a narcissist. It actually makes you honest.” ([27:26])

Deep Thought of the Day

Quote:

“Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tiptoe if you must, but don’t forget to take a step.” — Naim Calloway ([23:00])

• Jemma reflects: “Transformation rarely happens all at once... In reality, the most life-changing moments usually begin as something almost imperceptible. The smallest step... can alter the course of your future.”
• “Tiptoe if you must”: Progress is not about speed or confidence—just willingness to move forward, even if uncertain. ([23:46])

Journal Prompts for the Week

1. What is a small win from your past that you never fully acknowledged? Why did it go unnoticed? How might celebrating it now actually feel? ([25:17])
2. What is one small victory you experienced today or this week? How could you recognize it positively to shift your energy or mindset?
3. What small milestone would you like to honor in the next year? How will acknowledging them help you stay on track?

Jemma encourages listeners to reflect actively and allow time to process these prompts.

Closing Commitment

• Jemma closes with a promise to focus more on her own small wins and encourages listeners to do the same, stressing that pride in small achievements is an act of honesty and self-respect.
• “Every step you’ve taken, every small victory you’ve had, whether you’ve noticed it or not, it has shaped you into the person you are today. They deserve their time in the sun.” ([27:55])

Key Timestamps

• 03:48–14:47: Main theme—cultural obsession with big wins & the psychology of small wins
• 15:20–22:50: Jemma’s personal struggles, practical strategies, and overcoming internalized barriers
• 23:00–25:17: Deep thought of the day & discussion of Naim Calloway quote
• 25:17–27:26: Journal prompts and invitation to reflect
• 27:26–End: Final takeaways, personal commitment, and closing encouragement

Tone: Warm, compassionate, candid.
Language: Relatable examples, direct address to listeners, honest introspection, gentle challenge to societal norms.

For listeners:
If you’ve ever felt behind because you haven’t hit life’s big milestones, this episode is a reminder that the smallest steps forward are not just worthy of celebration—they are the very foundation of growth. Take time this week to notice, honor, and share your small wins.