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Throwback Thursday: Your First “Big Win” #TBT

Kristján Geir Mathiesen — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 11:40:00 GMT

It's Thursday!

I’ve been thinking about the scale we use to measure "big wins" in our lives or really anything in our lives. The reality is that we aren’t all operating from the same blueprint. Life isn't a standardized test; it’s a custom build. What feels insurmountable to me might be easy-peasy for you. And a "big win" for you might not count as a "big win" for me because I value things differently than you. Not better or worse; just differently.

When we judge our progress against someone else’s highlight reel, we miss the magic of our own growth. A "small thing" for you might be the very thing I’ve been praying for the strength to do!

Soooooo, when you think back, what’s the first moment in your life (or career) that really felt like a “big win” for you? What made it special?

Let’s make it a great Thursday!
KGM

This resonates a lot. I think we often underestimate how...

Anahit Sukiasyan — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:02:07 GMT

This resonates a lot. I think we often underestimate how personal “big wins” really are. One of my first big wins in my career was realizing that my work could actually help others solve problems and move things forward. It wasn’t a huge public milestone, but that moment of feeling useful and trusted made it very meaningful for me. ✨

What a wonderful post today! I really needed this. One o...

Natalie Beiler — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:39:52 GMT

What a wonderful post today! @Kristján Geir Mathiesen I really needed this.

One of my first "wins" as a nurse was transporting a young woman with a life threatening gunshot wound 2 1/2 hour by ambulance because the weather prevented the advanced care helicopter from landing. I was with a driver and an EMT. I felt the weight of the patient's future in my hands. It was a life changing experience. The trauma team met us at the door. Praise the Lord she survived the trip and so did I...I cried a few tears of thankfulness as we left the trauma center.

Quite the question, . After thinking for a while, I've c...

Barbara Szczesniak — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:06:39 GMT

Quite the question, @Kristján Geir Mathiesen.

After thinking for a while, I've come to the conclusion that many of the things from my childhood that someone might consider a "big win" don't feel that way to me. Other than rules of behavior, no one ever told me that I couldn't or shouldn't be able to do something, so achieving many things did not feel like a big accomplishment to me.

When I was a kid, everyone ate what my mom prepared for dinner, whether you liked it or not. You sat at the table until it was gone. If I thought hot split pea soup was bad, it was much worse when it got cold. 😝 A big win for me was when I was old enough to make my own peanut butter and jelly sandwich—if I could make something that qualified as dinner for myself, I didn't to eat the soup.

So glad this resonates, Very glad this was today's topi...

Kristján Geir Mathiesen — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:32:34 GMT

So glad this resonates, @Anahit Sukiasyan

Very glad this was today's topic since you needed it, @Natalie Beiler Wow, what a situation to be in. That must have been really tough and slow ticking minutes to the trauma center.

Love that story, @Barbara Szczesniak

Takk all for sharing your stories.

Great Post! As someone who has worked in IT for over 20...

Charlene Freeman — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:45:27 GMT

Great Post! @Kristján Geir Mathiesen As someone who has worked in IT for over 20 years, I really had a great "Ah Ha" moment as a Scrum Master when one of my former teams who fought me over transitioning to SCRUM, actually thanked me and embraced it. Now as an Agile Coach I try to help other Scrum Masters and team members share that same feeling. When the lightbulb goes off and people understand and embrace change it brings me a feeling of achievement like none other.

#TBT

love that! I can so relate to your post!

Natalie Beiler — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:54:21 GMT

@Charlene Freeman love that!

@Barbara Szczesniak I can so relate to your post!

To me, life is full of big wins in each of our lives. And...

John Funk — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 18:46:25 GMT

To me, life is full of big wins in each of our lives. And the first one is probably buried way back in our childhood. They day you can dress yourself. The day you get to pick your own clothes to wear that day. Or the day you get your first apartment and move out of the childhood home, etc. My biggest was probably the day I got to meet @Kristján Geir Mathiesen !

The moment we stop worrying about what everyone else is d...

MOHAMMED AMRUDDIN — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:32:37 GMT

The moment we stop worrying about what everyone else is doing and just focus on our own path—that right there is the biggest win we can ever achieve

currently I'm following this path on my each stage of life

Takk That's cool. awe that's nice but be honest now!...

Kristján Geir Mathiesen — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 20:00:36 GMT

Takk @Charlene Freeman That's cool.

@John Funk awe that's nice but be honest now!

@MOHAMMED AMRUDDIN love that!

Wow, some big ones in these replies. I think one major s...

Matt Doar _Adaptavist_ — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 21:10:22 GMT

Wow, some big ones in these replies.

I think one major step for me was talking in public. Didn't happen much before I was 22 years old.

I feel you I'm not the public, outgoing kind. I'm not an...

Dave Mathijs — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:10:26 GMT

I feel you @Matt Doar _Adaptavist_ I'm not the public, outgoing kind. I'm not an anonymous keyboard warrior either, but I just don't feel comfortable speaking/presenting in public. Although I really like to help, guide and train people.

My first big win? I honestly don't remember anymore. Something with impostor syndrome I guess. 😔

Takk everyone for your memories and stories.

Kristján Geir Mathiesen — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:38:31 GMT

Takk everyone for your memories and stories.

What a wonderful Thursday reflection! My first "big win...

Bruno Legeard _Lynqa_ — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 04:44:36 GMT

What a wonderful Thursday reflection! @Kristján Geir Mathiesen My first "big win" was the day I stopped comparing my progress to others and started celebrating my own small steps. Reading these stories from everyone here is such a great reminder of that. Have a nice Thursday.

Hi My greatest achievement was becoming independent at 22...

Vronik — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 06:15:15 GMT

My greatest achievement was becoming independent at 22, having my own house and doing what I wanted with my life

Regards

Every moment of professional or personal growth is specia...

Fabio Racobaldo [Catworkx] — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:39:58 GMT

Every moment of professional or personal growth is special to me. In my 20-year career, I've had the pleasure of meeting so many extraordinary people who have helped me grow significantly, not only professionally. This, in my opinion, is the big win.