A few weeks ago, I was talking with a patient in clinic. She shared her intention to work out five days a week, but admitted she had only managed two. She was disappointed in herself and felt like it wasn’t enough to make a difference in her health or weight.

But to me? She made the effort and that’s a win. A step in the right direction.

We set goals with the best of intentions: walk 30 minutes a day, lose one pound a week, meditate every morning. But what happens when we fall short? Often, we beat ourselves up, feel like we’ve failed, and sometimes stop trying altogether.

I’ve been there too...many, many times.

As a busy rheumatologist and recently minted mom, I often struggle to balance my personal wellness with everything else. Before motherhood, I enjoyed long yoga sessions every day. Now, even 20 minutes feels like a luxury. Some days I’d think, What’s the point of doing yoga if I can’t even get 30 minutes in?

But what if we shifted our perspective?

The Problem With All-or-Nothing Thinking

Perfectionism sneaks into our goals in subtle ways. When we believe that “success” only counts if it meets a specific threshold, we overlook all the smaller victories.

One skipped workout becomes the end of a streak. A missed day feels like a ruined routine. And this mindset makes it harder to sustain progress—especially when life gets unpredictable.

Reframing Success: Above Zero Is Enough

What if the goal was simply to do something—not everything?

One minute of stretching. Five minutes of walking. A single push-up. If the alternative is nothing, then anything above zero is a win.

This tiny shift can have a powerful psychological effect. It keeps the habit alive. It keeps you in motion.

Why It Works (and Lasts)

• It reduces guilt. You’re no longer judging yourself against a rigid benchmark.

• It builds consistency. Small efforts add up over time and create a foundation for bigger ones. This effect compounds.

• It keeps momentum. You’re far more likely to build from “some” than from “none.”

Real-Life Applications

• Don’t feel like dieting? Eat one vegetable for the day.

• Too tired to work out? Stretch for one minute.

• Overwhelmed by journaling? Write one sentence.

These micro-wins are like keeping the pilot light on. They’re small, but they remind you—you’re still in the game.

Give Yourself Credit

In a world that glorifies hustle and extremes, choosing grace over guilt is radical. And powerful.

You don’t need to do everything perfectly to be making progress. Every small act is proof that you’re showing up for yourself.

For me, this mindset has been freeing. I now keep a yoga mat in my clinic, ready to go whenever there’s a lull in patient flow. Whether it’s two minutes or twenty—it still counts. Because anything above zero is enough.

Closing Thought

The next time you feel like you “didn’t do enough,” ask yourself this:

Did I do more than zero?

If the answer is yes: you’re already winning.