Focus on small wins and build your way up to bigger ones.

It’s difficult to force a big win without laying the proper foundation for it. When you start to create small wins early, you’ll be able to build yourself up to the big ones easier. The most important thing is to cultivate an attitude that allows these small wins to happen easily and without conscious effort.

1. Adopt a method of minimal viable progress.
   Ask yourself, “What is the smallest amount of progress that will be useful and valuable to the essential task we are trying to get done?” Then, focus on getting that done.

2. Do the minimal viable preparation.
   Start approaching your goal early and with small steps.

3. Record your progress visually.
   Have some visual reminders of how much closer you are getting to your final goal. They can be in the form of posters, certificates, etc.

4. Drop the bad habits that keep you from winning.
   Identify the cues that trigger your bad habit and replace them. For example, if your goal is to lose weight and you feel like buying a doughnut every time you walk past a bakery, head to a deli and buy a salad instead. You can also create a new cue, like placing an apple in your bag to snack on instead of the doughnut.