Most authors think their breakthrough will feel like fireworks. One big launch, one big podcast, one viral post and suddenly everything changes. But it never happens that way. It’s slower, messier, and much more human than that.

Momentum is not one giant push. It’s dozens of little ones stacked together until one day the thing that felt heavy begins to move with its own force. That’s physics, and it’s the same with your career. You post, you email, you connect, you create, and it feels like nothing is happening… until one day you realize that everything you’ve been stacking has quietly turned into something undeniable.

The heartbreaking part? Most authors quit right before that moment arrives.

Small Wins Are the Real Fuel

There’s a Harvard study that found the biggest motivator for creative people isn’t money or recognition, it’s progress. Not giant leaps, but small, visible steps forward.

This is why a single reply to your newsletter matters. This is why one person thanking you for your book matters. This is why being invited back on a podcast matters. These little signals aren’t just ego boosts. They are brain fuel. Dopamine doesn’t wait for trophies, it shows up the second your brain senses movement.

Nature designed us to survive on progress. Which means if you can learn to spot the small wins instead of dismissing them, you’ll have endless fuel to keep going.

Compounding

Here’s where I want to show you something real. Because it’s easy to talk about compounding like it’s just a theory. But I’ve watched it in action with people I know and work with every day.

Take my friend and client, Greg Giuliano. His YouTube channel has passed 13,000 subscribers in two years. That didn’t come from one viral video. It came from showing up every week with thoughtful long-form videos and layering in shorts that spoke directly to his audience.

Or my friend Evan Nadler, who launched his channel less than a year ago and is already past 2,000 subscribers. Again, no viral hack, no overnight explosion. Just consistent presence, week after week.

And then there’s Paul Feldmann, stacking videos and shorts consistently, building a foundation that gets stronger every month.

And I’ll be honest, I’ve seen it in my own work too. Rising Authors has grown not from magic shortcuts, but from me showing up almost daily on LinkedIn, posting ideas, sharing stories, building connections, and treating every conversation like a deposit in the bank. Those deposits are growing my small business in ways that still surprise me.

None of it looks dramatic in the moment. A video here, a post there, a message sent. But like compound interest, the growth curve sneaks up on you. Suddenly, you look around and realize that the small, steady work you’ve been stacking is now creating opportunities you couldn’t have planned.

Nature

Nature proves this again and again. Bamboo will spend up to five years underground growing roots you can’t see. People walk past it and assume nothing is happening. Then in a matter of weeks it shoots up ninety feet into the air.

That’s authorship. The early years feel invisible. Your posts are ignored, your list is small, your podcast downloads look embarrassing. But it’s root work. It’s compounding. The silence is not failure, it’s preparation. Quit early, and you’re chopping down the forest before it even has the chance to sprout.

The Power of Small

The real problem is that our brains are wired against us. Psychologists call it present bias. We want the win now. We want the followers now. We want to know it’s working right now.

But present bias makes us blind to the long game. We forget that J.K. Rowling’s first print run of Harry Potter was only 500 copies. Mark Manson’s first blog posts were read by a handful of strangers on obscure forums. Brené Brown’s TEDx talk almost didn’t happen because vulnerability wasn’t considered “marketable.”

Small beginnings always feel like nothing. Until they don’t.

Optimistic

Every single thing you put out into the world is stacking. Every video, every email, every conversation. You might not see it today or next week, but it’s compounding in the background in ways you can’t measure yet.

That’s the optimistic truth. The world doesn’t reward the biggest splash. It rewards the person who stays long enough for the ripples to turn into waves.

Speaking of podcasts and small wins, you should check out my latest episode with my friend Zachary Hanson. We talked about his new book called The Trade Gap, and in the world of AI, how leaning into skills is more important than ever. You can check out the full episode on my website, rising-authors dot com

The 4th Quarter

Here’s where I stop talking theory and give you something practical. It’s the start of the fourth quarter. You’ve got 90 days to close this year strong. The big wins you want for next year? They’re going to come from the seeds you plant now.

Here’s your challenge: The Power of 10.

Email 10 people you’ve been afraid to reach out to.
Connect with 10 people whose work inspires you or aligns with yours.
Message 10 people just to thank them for supporting you.
Share 10 ideas, stories, or insights with your audience.

That’s 40 actions this week. Do it again next week and you’re at 80. Keep it up and by the end of the quarter you will have stacked more than 400 meaningful actions. You cannot tell me one small win won’t come from that.

Most authors quit right before the compounding kicks in. Don’t let that be you. This quarter, stack your wins. Plant your seeds. Make your deposits.

Because the avalanche always starts with one snowflake. And by the end of this year, you could be the one who stayed long enough to see it fall.

If you need support building your author brand and online presence, message me I would love to be of help and value.

-Hussein

Why Most Authors Quit Right Before They Win