I was asked what need this app would serve for the user. My initial response that it’s a need against the systemic, capitalistic messaging we receive that we’re not good enough, need to buy something/do something in line with the general human conditions of guilt/worthlessness & inferiority… maybe says a bit more about the mood I was in at the time and while it still stands in principle, there is an opportunity to wrap some science around it.
From the big guns
Psychology Today, “The Amazing Power of “Small Wins”
“In his book, The Power of Habits, Charles Duhigg uses the term “small wins” to refer to modest behavior changes that can set off a chain reaction of more and better changes. I love the “small wins” idea! You can “do one thing different,” as counselor Bill O’Hanlon says, and reap outsized rewards. Even better, every small win gives you a spritz of dopamine, that feel-good brain chemical that is linked with motivation.”
https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/changepower/201207/the-amazing-power-small-wins
Forbes, “Recently Succeed At Something? Celebrating Is Good For Your Brain“
“Dopamine acts as a neurotransmitter, sending signals to other neurons that serve as a pleasurable reward. These neurons that fire together now start getting wired together in your brain. When you experience the dopamine reward, your brain pays attention to what you did to deserve your “feel-good” moment. That includes the brain calculating what’s needed to repeat that action and move toward achieving your goals. The dopamine also plays a role in regulating your attention, learning and movement.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/06/24/recently-succeed-at-something-celebrating-is-good-for-your-brain/?sh=16e497433d91
Harvard Business Review, “The Power of Small Wins“
“the more frequently people experience that sense of progress, the more likely they are to be creatively productive in the long run. Whether they are trying to solve a major scientific mystery or simply produce a high-quality product or service, everyday progress—even a small win—can make all the difference in how they feel and perform”