The Power of a ‘Wins List’: Tracking All of Your Life Successes and Wins for Resilience
Success also includes navigating adversity, overcoming setbacks, and the quiet victories.
In the midst of our busy lives, it can be easy to lose sight of what we’ve accomplished. High-achieving professionals, in particular, often focus on the next goal, the next promotion, or the next milestone without pausing to reflect on how far they’ve come. Yet, taking the time to document your successes and wins is not just an exercise in self-appreciation; it’s a powerful tool for resilience. When life feels hard, this list becomes a reminder of your strength, capability, and determination.
This exercise goes beyond crafting a traditional resume. It’s about creating a holistic record of your accomplishments—not just the ones tied to work titles and accolades but the ones that demonstrate your ability to overcome challenges, grow, and thrive in every aspect of life. Success, after all, is not solely defined by external achievements. It encompasses your ability to navigate adversity, build meaningful relationships, and take care of yourself along the way.
Why You Need a Wins List
In our pursuit of goals and responsibilities, it's easy to overlook the wins that have shaped us into who we are today. A Wins List serves as a vital tool to counteract this tendency, grounding us in gratitude and perspective. Reflecting on our achievements—big and small—helps build a deeper connection to our resilience, personal growth, and the multitude of ways we’ve navigated life’s challenges.
Cultivate Resilience: Reflecting on your successes helps you build a mindset of resilience, reminding you of your capacity to face challenges and emerge stronger.
Combat Burnout: Chronic stress can make it difficult to recognize your worth. A list of wins can provide perspective and reinforce your value beyond professional performance.
Reframe Success: Success isn’t just about promotions or awards; it’s about the totality of your life—including moments of personal growth and overcoming adversity.
Boost Confidence: Having a tangible record of your achievements can provide a confidence boost when self-doubt creeps in.
How to Build Your Wins List
Creating your Wins List is an opportunity to honor both the significant milestones and the quiet victories that have defined your journey. This process involves zooming out to identify transformative moments and then zooming in to capture the everyday triumphs often overshadowed by larger accomplishments.
By following a structured approach, you can create a list that’s both meaningful and comprehensive.
Step 1: Identify the Big Rock Wins
Start by thinking about the significant milestones in your life. These are the moments that stand out as pivotal or transformative. Often, they align with major life events, such as earning a degree, landing your first job, or achieving a significant career milestone. But they can also be deeply personal moments, like overcoming a health challenge, starting a meaningful relationship, or making a bold life change.
Take some time to go through your timeline. Consider the following prompts to help you identify these big rock wins:
What are the key moments in your professional or personal life that you’re most proud of?
When have you faced a significant challenge and come out stronger?
Are there any turning points that changed your life trajectory for the better?
What accomplishments have had the greatest impact on your sense of self-worth?
Document these big rock wins as a foundation for your list.
Step 2: Reflect Year by Year or Grade by Grade
Once you’ve captured the major milestones, dig deeper. Go through your life year by year, or even grade by grade, to uncover smaller, lesser-admired wins that still carry immense personal meaning. These may not be the public-facing accolades but are just as important in shaping who you are.
Here are some thought-provoking questions to guide this step:
What’s a small win from each year that made you feel proud or accomplished?
Were there moments when you persevered despite feeling uncertain or overwhelmed?
Did you learn a new skill, complete a project, or help someone in a way that felt fulfilling?
Are there instances where you chose personal growth, such as attending therapy, setting boundaries, or stepping out of your comfort zone?
These wins often reveal the depth of your character and the quiet victories that define true success.
Step 3: Broaden Your Definition of Success
To create a truly holistic wins list, it’s important to broaden your definition of success. Include achievements across all areas of your life—professional, personal, emotional, relational, and more. Here’s how to think about different dimensions of success:
Professional Achievements
What projects or roles have you excelled in that made a tangible impact?
Have you ever received positive feedback from a mentor, colleague, or client? What was said?
What’s a professional skill you’ve mastered that once seemed intimidating?
Did you navigate a challenging situation at work with grace? What did you learn from it?
Personal Triumphs
What’s a moment in your personal life where you overcame significant adversity?
Have you achieved a personal goal, like improving your health, completing a creative project, or strengthening a relationship?
What’s a time you showed courage, even when it was difficult?
Have you ever helped someone in a meaningful way? What impact did that have?
Emotional and Mental Growth
What’s a limiting belief you’ve worked to overcome?
When have you practiced self-compassion during a difficult time?
What’s a moment when you chose to prioritize your mental health, even if it was inconvenient?
How have you grown emotionally or mentally over the past few years?
Relationship Wins
Have you nurtured a meaningful relationship, even during a busy or stressful time?
What’s a moment you’ve effectively communicated your needs or boundaries?
Have you ever forgiven someone or sought forgiveness in a way that brought healing?
What’s a time you brought joy or support to someone else?
Overcoming Dark Moments
What’s a time you survived a period of intense stress, loss, or difficulty? How did you get through it?
Have you ever taken steps to address trauma or heal from a painful experience?
What’s a moment when you chose hope or action, even when it felt impossible?
How did you turn a setback into a new beginning?
Template to Guide Your Wins List
Use the following prompts to create your list:
Professional Wins: “One of my proudest professional accomplishments is [specific achievement]. It mattered because [impact it had].”
Personal Triumphs: “A personal challenge I overcame was [specific challenge]. I’m proud of it because [reason].”
Emotional Growth: “A belief or habit I’ve transformed is [specific belief/habit]. This has changed my life by [specific result].”
Relationship Success: “I showed up for someone by [specific action]. This deepened our connection because [reason].”
Resilience in Dark Times: “One of the hardest moments I’ve faced was [specific moment]. I navigated it by [action or mindset], and I emerged stronger because [reason].”
How to Keep the Practice Alive
Review and Add Regularly: Schedule time monthly or quarterly to reflect on new wins.
Create a Wins Journal: Dedicate a notebook or digital document to this practice.
Share with Trusted Allies: Discuss your wins with a coach, mentor, or close friend to gain additional perspective.
Revisit in Tough Times: Use your list as a source of strength and encouragement when you feel stuck or overwhelmed.
Final Thoughts
Remember: Success is as much about who you are as it is about what you’ve done. It’s found in the courage to face fears, the decision to grow, and the ability to adapt. Building your Wins List isn’t just an exercise in reflection—it’s a declaration of your resilience and worth, proving that even in your darkest moments, you’ve risen to the occasion.
Start writing your Wins List today. It’s not just a record of your past; it’s a powerful reminder of all you’re capable of—now and in the future.
Article References
The sources cited in the article:
Forbes "Keep a Daily ‘Wins Journal’ to Increase Stamina and Motivation." Forbes - Keep a Daily Wins Journal
Harvard Business Review (HBR). “The Power of Small Wins.” HBR - The Power of Small Wins
The NYTimes. "What Small Wins Have You Had Recently?" NYT - What Small Wins Have You Had Recently?
Medium. "How Writing Daily Wins Can Rewire Your Brain for Energy and Confidence.” Medium - Writing Daily Wins
Psychology Today (PT). “Keeping Score: Why Tracking Progress Fuels Success.” PT - Keeping Score: Tracking Progress Success
