--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The victories may be small, but one small…" description: "\"“The victories may be small, but one small victory to a defeated mind is a big victory.”\" — Stephen Guise" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/stephen-guise-28564_victories_the-victories-may-be-small-but-one-small_2857065.jpg" --- # The victories may be small, but one small victory to a… ![“The victories may be small, but one small victory to a defeated mind is a big victory.” quote by Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/stephen-guise-28564_victories_the-victories-may-be-small-but-one-small_2857065.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/stephen-guise-28564_victories_the-victories-may-be-small-but-one-small_2857065.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/stephen-guise-28564_victories_the-victories-may-be-small-but-one-small_2857065.jpg) > ““The victories may be small, but one small victory to a defeated mind is a big victory.”” [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small victories rebuild a defeated mindset, creating momentum for larger change. **In simple terms:** Tiny wins boost confidence. Key Takeaway Celebrate each small success. Themes motivation resilience habit formation Mood encouraging optimistic Type self‑help practical When to use this quote - daily routines - fitness goals - learning new skills Key Concepts psychology self‑improvement Questions to Reflect On - What tiny win can you claim today? - How to keep momentum? A Different Perspective Small wins may feel insignificant. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defeated Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeated-mind-391955/) [Small Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-victory-3062537/) [Victories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victories/) [Victories Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victories-small-533438/) [Victory Defeated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory-defeated-719737/) ## Related quotes > [Don't be ashamed to celebrate victories that may seem small to others. Only you and God know what they really cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-furtick/don-t-be-ashamed-to-celebrate-victories-that-may-seem-small-to-others/) [Steven Furtick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-furtick/) > [“It's not only about the big wins or the ultimate victories – it's also about the small victories along the way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrith-vanlon-smith-jr/it-s-not-only-about-the-big-wins-or-the-ultimate-victories-it-s-also/) [Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrith-vanlon-smith-jr/) > [I'm not gonna get it all right, but I take my victories, as small as they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-squier/i-m-not-gonna-get-it-all-right-but-i-take-my-victories-as-small-as/) [Billy Squier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-squier/) > [“Be proud of those victories. For that's what they are, small personal truimph of strength. And they matter”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-sheridan/be-proud-of-those-victories-for-that-s-what-they-are-small-personal/) [Mia Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-sheridan/) > [“If anything defeated her, it would be her own mind and self-doubt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-johnson/if-anything-defeated-her-it-would-be-her-own-mind-and-self-doubt/) [Cat Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-johnson/) > [“in long run sword is defeated by mind”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/in-long-run-sword-is-defeated-by-mind/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“A small victory, he thought, but sweet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-small-victory-he-thought-but-sweet/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [It's a big deal for me as a Korean American and an unspeakable act of joy to be able to show my freckles. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/it-s-a-big-deal-for-me-as-a-korean-american-and-an-unspeakable-act-of/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [“Seeing Malich dead was suddenly a very small victory. The satisfaction trickled away, like his blood across the floor. His death only gave me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/seeing-malich-dead-was-suddenly-a-very-small-victory-the-satisfaction/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [“But when someone is grieving, a genuine smile is a small victory in the big battle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-silvera/but-when-someone-is-grieving-a-genuine-smile-is-a-small-victory-in/) [Adam Silvera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-silvera/) > [Just take one small victory at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamman-rucker/just-take-one-small-victory-at-a-time/) [Lamman Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamman-rucker/) > [“Each day offers you an opportunity to overcome obstacles and fears in your life. Those victories, however small they appear, are significant and don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pemberton/each-day-offers-you-an-opportunity-to-overcome-obstacles-and-fears-in/) [Steve Pemberton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pemberton/) > [The joy of life is made up of obscure and seemingly mundane victories that give us our own small satisfactions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/the-joy-of-life-is-made-up-of-obscure-and-seemingly-mundane-victories/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [A true champion is not only formed in victory. To be defeated makes you learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renan-barao/a-true-champion-is-not-only-formed-in-victory-to-be-defeated-makes/) [Renan Barao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renan-barao/) > [“Peace has cost you your strength,” Bane declared. “Victory has defeated you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-cox/peace-has-cost-you-your-strength-bane-declared-victory-has-defeated/) [Greg Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-cox/) ## More by Stephen Guise > [“When you repeat a behavior over time, your brain learns to automate the process. It's more energy efficient to automatically do something than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/when-you-repeat-a-behavior-over-time-your-brain-learns-to-automate/) [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) > [“We're quick to blame ourselves for lack of progress, but slow to blame our strategies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/we-re-quick-to-blame-ourselves-for-lack-of-progress-but-slow-to-blame/) [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) > [“Mini Habits™ by Stephen Guise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/mini-habits-by-stephen-guise/) [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) > [“Your brain is just another cat in the snow, and you can quote me on that because I love out of context quotes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/your-brain-is-just-another-cat-in-the-snow-and-you-can-quote-me-on/) [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) > [“One small step + desired behavior = high probability of further steps”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/one-small-step-desired-behavior-high-probability-of-further-steps/) [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) > [“It's not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It's what we do consistently.” ― Anthony Robbins”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/it-s-not-what-we-do-once-in-a-while-that-shapes-our-lives-it-s-what/) [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) > [“It’s easier to change your mind and emotions by taking action than it is to change your actions by trying to think and feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/it-s-easier-to-change-your-mind-and-emotions-by-taking-action-than-it/) [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) > [“It's not that belief increases your ability to do things—it increases your willingness to try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/it-s-not-that-belief-increases-your-ability-to-do-things-it-increases/) [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) > [“A destructive habit to have is believing that you have to be motivated to act.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/a-destructive-habit-to-have-is-believing-that-you-have-to-be/) [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) > [“Imperfectionists are perfectionists in a unique way.  Instead of expecting perfect results, the imperfectionist expects perfect progress and consistency.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/imperfectionists-are-perfectionists-in-a-unique-way-instead-of/) [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) > [“...Every giant accomplishment is made of very small steps... and to take them one at a time like this is not weak, but precise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/every-giant-accomplishment-is-made-of-very-small-steps-and-to-take/) [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) > [“Thinkertoys by Michael Michalko”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/thinkertoys-by-michael-michalko/) [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) > [“habit ideas from minihabits.com are already in minified form”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/habit-ideas-from-minihabits-com-are-already-in-minified-form/) [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) > [“It's hard to change your feelings by thinking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/it-s-hard-to-change-your-feelings-by-thinking/) [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) > [“If you don't execute your ideas, they die.” — Roger von Oech”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/if-you-don-t-execute-your-ideas-they-die-roger-von-oech/) [Stephen Guise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) [Explore all 18 Stephen Guise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/) ## More Victories quotes > [I don't believe in moral victories. I don't think in pro ball they exist, and they shouldn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-witten/i-don-t-believe-in-moral-victories-i-don-t-think-in-pro-ball-they/) [Jason Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-witten/) > [While not widely reported, our victories in Iraq are plentiful. National elections, a democratic parliament and the drafting of a constitution are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gillmor/while-not-widely-reported-our-victories-in-iraq-are-plentiful/) [Paul Gillmor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gillmor/) > [The only victories which leave no regret are those which are gained over ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-only-victories-which-leave-no-regret-are-those-which-are-gained/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Sometimes the greatest victories we can make for mankind are the victories we make over ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-fesler/sometimes-the-greatest-victories-we-can-make-for-mankind-are-the/) [Wes Fesler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-fesler/) > [Regardless of one victory, two victories, four victories, there's never been a victory by a cancer survivor. That's a fact that hopefully I'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/regardless-of-one-victory-two-victories-four-victories-there-s-never/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [No matter what we face in life, God will be there with us. Only God can turn our trials into victories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anmol-andore/no-matter-what-we-face-in-life-god-will-be-there-with-us-only-god-can/) [Anmol Andore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anmol-andore/) > [“It's the little victories that make life feel so big.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-newcomer/it-s-the-little-victories-that-make-life-feel-so-big/) [Jane Newcomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-newcomer/) > [“If you do what we ask you to do, the victories will belong to you, and the losses to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/if-you-do-what-we-ask-you-to-do-the-victories-will-belong-to-you-and/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [“There are individuals, who unfortunately are built with an immense amount of negativity. People will always tell you to run away from these types…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/there-are-individuals-who-unfortunately-are-built-with-an-immense/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/there-are-some-defeats-more-triumphant-than-victories/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [People have to realize that dieting is not a sprint, it's a marathon. If you celebrate the small victories, you will eventually win the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-k-smith/people-have-to-realize-that-dieting-is-not-a-sprint-it-s-a-marathon/) [Ian K. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-k-smith/) > [I am a series of small victories and large defeats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-am-a-series-of-small-victories-and-large-defeats/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“Short wins does not guarantee long victories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-sagar/short-wins-does-not-guarantee-long-victories/) [Krishna Sagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-sagar/) > [The great conquest is the result of small, unnoticed victories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-great-conquest-is-the-result-of-small-unnoticed-victories/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Real victories are those that protect human life, not those that result from its destruction or emerge from its ashes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-hussein-i/real-victories-are-those-that-protect-human-life-not-those-that/) [King Hussein I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-hussein-i/) [Browse all 234 Victories quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victories/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The victories may be small, but one small victory to a defeated mind is a big victory.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Guise" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/the-victories-may-be-small-but-one-small-victory-to-a-defeated-mind/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Victories" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/the-victories-may-be-small-but-one-small-victory-to-a-defeated-mind/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/stephen-guise-28564_victories_the-victories-may-be-small-but-one-small_2857065.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/stephen-guise-28564_victories_the-victories-may-be-small-but-one-small_2857065.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c2/stephen-guise-28564_victories_the-victories-may-be-small-but-one-small_2857065.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The victories may be small, but one small victory to a defeated mind is a big victory.” — Stephen Guise", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Stephen Guise", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-guise/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The victories may be small, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/the-victories-may-be-small-but-one-small-victory-to-a-defeated-mind/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-guise/the-victories-may-be-small-but-one-small-victory-to-a-defeated-mind/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```