Why Celebrating Tiny Wins Predicts Long-Term Success Better Than Motivation

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Arnold’s Corner 
Monday Motivation: One Win at a Time

There’s only one rule this week: celebrate a win.

It doesn’t have to be big. In fact, it can be so small that no one else would even notice.

Maybe you finally slept seven hours.
Maybe you skipped the elevator and took the stairs.
Maybe you told yourself you’d show up at the gym — and you actually did.

It can seem tiny to you. But I want you to celebrate a win.

Because people have this habit of looking at other people’s success — like mine, for example — and imagining it all happened at once.

They see the highlight reel, not the grind.

They see the trophy, not the training.

They see the movie premiere, not the years of acting classes and accent removal classes.

That is never true.

When I became the youngest Mr. Universe ever, people said, “Arnold, you’re an overnight success.”

What they didn’t see was five years of training with the weightlifting and powerlifting team in Austria. They didn’t see me breaking into the gym under the stadium in Graz because it was locked on Sundays. They didn’t see me losing the year before and studying why I lost.

They didn’t see me dragging my body out of bed every morning because I had a vision, and I refused to let it die.

Every little session, every rep, every plate I loaded added up. Every “tiny” win built the foundation for the moment that looked “sudden” to the world.

The same thing happened in my movie career.

People looked at Conan the Barbarian and said, “That guy came out of nowhere. The Austrian bodybuilder turned into a movie star overnight.”

But I retired from bodybuilding five years before I ever started filming Conan.

Five years of acting classes. Five years of repeating tongue-twisters like “A fine wine grows on the vine” to tame my accent. Five years of TV roles so small they didn’t even list my name in the credits. Five years of studying, failing, and trying again.

It didn’t happen overnight.It happened over every night that I went to bed knowing I’d taken one step closer.

This is what people forget.

Most people who start working out, eating better, or trying to change their lives eventually quit. It’s not because they’re lazy; it’s because they expect it to happen too fast.

They think: If I don’t see results in a few weeks, it’s not working.

But change isn’t fast. It’s steady. It’s often so slow you don’t even notice it.

Some statistics suggest that up to 90 percent of people who lose weight quickly gain it all back. Why? Because they were chasing a finish line instead of building a lifestyle.

You don’t rush your way to strength. You build it slowly.

A pound lost in a week might feel small. But a pound a week for a year is 52 pounds. For two years, that’s more than 100 pounds.

That’s a transformation that starts with one tiny win.

And it’s not just about the scale. It’s about consistency.

You build your strength one rep at a time. You build your discipline one promise kept at a time. You build your confidence one small victory at a time.

Every single success story you admire — mine, yours, anyone’s — is really just a long string of small wins.

So here’s your challenge: every week, look for one win.

Write it down. Tell someone about it. Celebrate it.

When you notice your wins, something amazing happens. You start wanting more of them. You realize you can keep a promise to yourself. You realize progress is possible, and that’s the spark that keeps the fire burning.

It’s easy to miss this when your head is down, grinding through the day-to-day. When you’re tired, when life piles on, when the work feels endless.

But that’s when this mindset matters most.

Lift your eyes up. Take a breath. Look back at how far you’ve already come.

If you’ve made one better choice this week than last week, that’s a win.
If you’ve kept going when you wanted to quit, that’s a win.
If you’ve failed and decided to try again, that’s a huge win.

Keep stacking them.

Week after week. Month after month. Year after year.

At first, the wins seem small. But after a while, you start to look back and realize: you built something huge. You built momentum. You built strength. You built a version of yourself that no one can take away.

That’s the secret.

Not motivation. Not talent. Not luck. Consistency.

The only guaranteed way to succeed is simple: don’t quit.

Sure, it might take five years. But those five years are going to pass anyway. You don’t have a say in that. You do get to choose whether they bring you closer to your vision or not.

So don’t rush it. Don’t compare yourself to the highlight reels online. Just keep showing up.

Focus on this week’s small win. Then next week’s. Then the one after that.

Because all great success stories are built the same way: one tiny, invisible, relentless win at a time.

Now tell me: what’s your win this week?

Together With Momentous 
Can Magnesium Really Help You Sleep Better?

If you’ve ever struggled to fall or stay asleep, you’ve probably seen magnesium supplements advertised as a natural fix. A new study suggests that one particular form might be more effective than others. 

Scientists found that magnesium L-threonate improved sleep quality and next-day alertness.

In a randomized, double-blind trial, adults with mild sleep issues took either 1 gram of magnesium L-threonate or a placebo for 21 days. 

Using Oura Ring data and sleep questionnaires, researchers found that the magnesium group experienced better deep sleep, more REM sleep, higher “readiness” scores, and greater energy during the day. Participants also reported feeling less groggy and more focused in the morning.

The study design and methods were well designed, but it’s worth noting that the supplement manufacturer funded the research. While that doesn’t mean the results are false or inaccurate, it does create a conflict of interest. 

If you're on the fence, this is not the only study to connect magnesium to better sleep. One study found that magnesium can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, and a review of nine studies suggests a strong connection, based on observational research.   

The theory behind magnesium L-threonate is that it crosses the blood-brain barrier more effectively than other forms, potentially increasing brain magnesium levels and promoting relaxation through neurotransmitters such as GABA. 

Studies suggest that magnesium has a high safety profile and is easily absorbed in the stomach without GI issues, making it a low-risk, high-reward way to improve sleep. 

If you're looking for a trusted supplement, here is our magnesium of choice. And, as an APC reader, use the code PUMPCLUB for up to 35% OFF your first order (14% off one-timer purchases and 35% off subscription).

But don’t forget: consistent bedtime habits, limiting screens, and cutting caffeine after noon are still the most proven ways to improve your sleep. Supplements can help, but they’re no substitute for good sleep hygiene.

Start Your Week Right
How Much Sitting Is Too Much?

You've probably heard that sitting for long stretches increases health risk. New research might help you better understand what’s happening to your body, and what you can do about it.

Scientists analyzed nearly 10,000 adults and found that excessive daily sitting was strongly associated with muscle loss, even before you get to older ages when it’s more common.

Researchers measured participants' sitting habits and muscle mass using body scans. The findings were worth your attention. 

People who sat more than 6 hours per day had a significantly higher likelihood of sarcopenia. But for those of you who sit all day, being desk-bound more than 9 hours per day was associated with nearly double the risk compared to sitting less than 4 hours. And each additional hour of sitting increased risk by approximately 7 percent.

The association held true even after accounting for age, diet, and other lifestyle factors.

Here's the game-changer: The study found that people who engaged in vigorous physical activity showed no increased risk of sarcopenia, regardless of how long they sat.

Activities like running, sports, or resistance training for at least 10 minutes per week helped protect against muscle loss associated with prolonged sitting. This suggests that while you might not be able to change how long your job requires you to sit, you can change what you do when you're not sitting.

Researchers believe that prolonged sitting reduces muscle stimulation and metabolic activity, potentially leading to faster muscle deterioration. When muscles aren't regularly activated through intense movement, they may become less responsive to protein synthesis—the process that helps repair and rebuild muscle tissue.

It’s one thing to build muscle, and it’s something else to protect and preserve it.  If you're sitting for 6+ hours daily, prioritize adding intense activity to your routine as a way to hold onto your muscle and protect your overall health. 

While the study above couldn't prove that sitting directly causes muscle loss (people with muscle problems might sit more because of their condition), the association was strong and consistent across thousands of participants.

Remember, you don't need to quit your desk job to protect your muscles — you just need to move with intensity when you're not sitting.

Fitness 
Workout Of The Week

This week’s workout puts you on the clock and is a great way to protect against sitting-related muscle loss.

This workout consists of two, 3-exercise blocks, each of which will take 10 minutes to complete. Set a timer for 10 minutes, and then perform one set of each exercise in the first block. Then, continue performing one set of each until the time is up. Then, move to the second block and repeat the process. 

Block 1: 10 minutes

1. Dumbbell Goblet squat: 6-8 reps

2. Dumbbell overhead press: 8-10 reps

3. Dumbbell alternating lunges: 8-10 reps/leg

Rest 2-3 minutes

Block 2: 10 minutes

1. Dumbbell row: 8-10 reps 

2. Dumbbell Romanian deadlift: 8 reps

3. Dumbbell chest press: 10-12 reps

Give it a try, and start your week strong.

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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger​

Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell