Why you should start a Win-Book

In February, when I was starting a new role in sales, one small tip my coach gave me, was so simple to implement but profound in its effect on my ability to bounce back from phases where I was struggling to find motivation and confidence.

It’s a tip so simple, but powerful nonetheless: recording your wins in a „win-book.“ In my case, this is a google docs. where I collect wins, such as closing a deal, a screenshot of receiving praise, an example of an important milestone you set yourself. 

The brain has a negativity bias towards your surroundings. This negativity bias allows you to anticipate dangers and identify your own shortcomings that might be detrimental to your survival. But it can also work against you. 

In a sense, this negativity bias is an outdated tool in our modern life, where most threats are not life-or-death.

This bias can work against us by making us dwell on problems, fueling stress and self-criticism, and distorting our perception so the world feels more negative than it really is. In this way, negativity bias acts like an overactive alarm system: useful for survival, but often overwhelming in daily life.

A simple way to combat this bias is to record wins and remind yourself of positive things you achieved in the face of obstacles. 

Research shows that recording and reviewing your wins can help counteract this bias and directly improve your performance. Studies on positive feedback and journaling practices find that when people remind themselves of their successes, they strengthen their confidence, boost motivation, and even perform better on future tasks.

Recording wins provides evidence that you are capable, helps you see which strategies work, and builds momentum when progress feels slow. By reviewing these positive reminders, you shift focus away from constant threat detection and towards growth and opportunity.

Like so many areas where performance is constantly being monitored and reviewed, the pressure tends to catch up with you in moments where, in fact, letting it seep into your thinking is fatal. When things aren’t going well, the win-book will help you remind yourself of past times you achieved something great when the odds were against you, and the lift in energy and motivation is a valuable kickstarter to bouncing back. 

Try starting yours this week.