Big change doesn’t start with a breakthrough. It starts when you decide to win today, and then do it again tomorrow.
The other day I was talking with a young man I’ve known for a long time. His life has honestly felt like a cycle of ups and downs for more than a decade. There are seasons where things seem to level out, and then something happens and it all comes crashing back down again.
I’ve got a lot of history with this young man. I’ve been in his life for about a dozen years, walking with him through different seasons. I was there when he surrendered his heart to the Lord in high school, and I’ve continued to mentor him as he’s grown into adulthood. Today, he’s a father of two, still trying to find stability while carrying more weight than most people realize.
He’s struggling to keep a job. Struggling with his mental health. Struggling just to keep moving forward. At one point in our conversation, he looked at me and said, “I’m tired. What do I do? I’m exhausted from always struggling.”
That’s when I told him about stacking wins.
Before I explain where that idea comes from, let me define it. Stacking wins is a strategy for making progress toward big goals by consistently stringing together small, daily successes. It’s about building momentum and confidence over time. Like a snowball rolling downhill, each small win makes the next one a little easier.
For me, that concept comes straight out of sports. You hear it all the time in football. Coaches and teams will say, “We’re just trying to go 1–0 this week.” One game. One win. One week at a time. You don’t worry about the entire season or the playoffs. You focus on today’s assignment.
And when you keep going 1–0, week after week, something happens. Wins start stacking. Momentum builds. Attitudes change. Mindsets change. Belief changes. Hope begins to rise. Before you know it, you’re no longer just trying to survive. You’re building something.
That’s exactly what I was trying to get him to see. You don’t fix twelve years of struggle overnight. But you can start stacking wins today.
I told this young man the same thing I’m telling you now. Before we even begin talking about stacking wins, as Christians there are a few non-negotiables we have to consider if we want to grow and stay healthy. These are foundational things that must be put in place. Without them, progress is hard to sustain and momentum is short-lived.
These aren’t advanced concepts. They’re basic. But they matter.
Three foundational non-negotiables:
- Reading the Bible
This is foundational because this is how we hear from God. If prayer is us talking to God, Scripture is God talking to us. God’s Word shapes us, grounds us in truth, and trains us to recognize His voice instead of being led by emotion or circumstance. - Prayer
Prayer isn’t about fancy words or religious routines. It’s about consistency and honesty. It’s about bringing our struggles, fears, failures, and hopes before God and learning to rely on Him daily. - Fellowshipping with the right people
The Bible talks about this idea in Proverbs when it says iron sharpens iron, that one person can sharpen and strengthen another. The truth is, the people you surround yourself with will influence your mindset, your beliefs, your habits, and your decisions.
Those three basics matter because they put you in position to go 1–0.
From there, you start looking for small wins.
Make your bed every day. It’s a simple way to start developing discipline and consistency.
Take a walk around your block every day for a week. Not about getting ripped or changing everything overnight, just about starting to take care of your body.
If alcohol has been an issue, don’t try to solve sobriety forever. Just don’t drink for one week. That’s a win.
Open a savings account and save $100. That’s a win. Build on that and save $1,000. Not a perfect financial plan. Not everything figured out. Just momentum and proof that you can make progress.
Get the job you’ve been praying for and work it for six months. That’s a win. Stick with it for a year. That’s another win stacked on top of it.
You want to develop the discipline to write? Start small. Write one paragraph a day. Do that consistently, then build up to writing one page a few times a week. Over time, those small reps turn into rhythm, confidence, and real progress.
Show up to church every week for a month.
Read your Bible daily for two weeks straight.
Go a month without an angry outburst.
Those are wins.
Scripture reminds us not to despise small beginnings. God actually rejoices when the work starts, not just when it’s finished. Small wins matter. Faithful steps matter.
And the Bible also reminds us not to grow weary in doing good, because at the right time there is a harvest if we don’t give up.
Here’s what I’ve learned. When you stack enough small wins, something begins to shift on the inside. One day you look back and realize, I’m not just surviving anymore. I’m actually winning.
That’s when a winning culture starts to form in your life.
You begin to expect progress. You expect growth. You expect things to get better. Hope rises. Confidence grows. Faith strengthens.
So if you’re tired of struggling, start small. Focus on today. Go 1–0. Stack the win in front of you. Then wake up tomorrow and do it again.
Stack enough of those, and eventually you won’t just feel like someone who hopes things change.
You’ll know you’re building a life that does.
Big change doesn’t start with a breakthrough. It starts when you decide to win today, and then do it again tomorrow.
Alex Bryant is a pastor, author, and speaker who writes about race, faith, and culture in America.
