On March 18, 2025, I encountered a blind man who was heading to work at a company that manufactures various products. As we chatted, he casually mentioned that most of the workers there were blind or visually impaired.

Now, let’s pause for a moment. Not only was this man blind and employed, but he worked at a company where other blind and visually impaired individuals were actively manufacturing products—some of which were supplied to the military. Meanwhile, here I was, fully sighted, well-educated, and yet still unemployed after 15 months. That realization hit me like a wake-up call wrapped in humility.

I had spent time lamenting my setbacks, questioning my path, and occasionally throwing myself a pity party. But here was a man who literally couldn’t see, yet he wasn’t allowing that to stop him from moving forward. If anyone had an excuse to sit on the sidelines, surely it was him. And yet, he was in the game, making plays, and contributing to something bigger than himself.

It reminded me of a simple but profound truth: Gratitude changes everything. Instead of focusing on what we lack, we need to appreciate what we have and refuse to let anything—real or imagined—block our path.

I once heard a saying: I used to complain about not having shoes until I saw a man with no feet.

If a blind man can press forward, so can we. No more excuses. No more self-pity. Eyes forward, head up, and keep moving.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9 (CSB)

Imagine you’re the pilot of your own life, soaring toward your goals. In the cockpit, you have a radio tuned to different frequencies—each representing a voice in your head.

On one channel, you hear Captain Confidence, the voice that pushes you forward: “You’ve trained for this! Adjust your altitude, stay the course, and trust your skills.” But then, turbulence hits—unexpected setbacks, fatigue, doubt. Instead of staying locked onto Captain Confidence, you switch frequencies to Whiny Willie, the panicked co-pilot: “This is too hard! I wasn’t meant for this! Why is this happening to me?”

Now, instead of adjusting and pressing on, you spiral into fear, convinced the storm is stronger than you. But the storm was never the real issue—the real problem was who you chose to listen to.

Every moment, we have a choice. We can tune in to the voice that serves us, uplifts us, and pushes us forward. Or we can tune in to the static of self-pity and fear, which only distorts our judgment and keeps us grounded when we were meant to fly.

The key? Keep your radio locked onto the right frequency. God has already given you the wisdom and strength you need—don’t let doubt hijack the controls.

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: ‘This is the way. Walk in it.’” – Isaiah 30:21 (CSB)

Just imagine a world where we get everything right the first time—no missteps, no regrets, no apologies necessary. A world where every decision is precise, every action flawless. But let’s be real: that’s not this world. We aren’t wired for perfection, and mistakes are inevitable. Yet, could we at least reduce how often we have to say, “I’m sorry”? Probably. And the key lies in something we often overlook, which is giving our best effort—mind, heart, and discipline fully engaged.

To live without constant regret requires courage. Courage to make decisions without hesitation, to trust that our best effort is enough. It demands focus—a commitment to the present task without letting distractions pull us sideways. And it takes discipline, the quiet yet powerful force that keeps us moving forward when every fiber of our being wants to swerve into the comfortable detours of old habits.

I know this struggle intimately. I tend to move from side to side, zigzagging between hesitation and overcorrection. I sabotage myself in these moments, not because I lack ability but because I lose sight of forward motion. It takes discipline to resist that sideways drift and keep pushing ahead. Having a partner who is naturally inclined toward steady progress can be highly beneficial.

If I lean toward indecision, I need someone who tilts toward action. If my feet falter, I need someone whose momentum is contagious. And perhaps they, too, need me—someone who thinks deeply, considers all angles, and ensures that forward motion isn’t just fast, but wise.

So maybe the goal isn’t to avoid mistakes entirely. Maybe it’s to engage with life so fully, so intentionally, that when we do err, our conscience is clear—we did our best. And with that, perhaps we’ll find ourselves saying “I’m sorry” less, not because we’re perfect, but because we lived with purpose.

“Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.” — Colossians 3:23 (CSB)

“Take care of the moments, and your destiny will take care of itself.”
— Jon ONeil

Darren Hardy, in The Compound Effect, reminds us that every action we take today compounds into the results we experience tomorrow. It’s easy to nod in agreement with this truth, yet difficult to fully grasp its power when life feels overwhelming.

Think about it—what do the second floor of your house, the balcony of your church, the peak of a Hawaiian mountain, and the summit of Mt. Everest all have in common? You don’t teleport to the top. You get there one step at a time.

And yet, when we set our sights on a great goal, whether it’s financial freedom, a thriving marriage, or a healthier body—we often freeze. We stand at the base of our personal Everest, eyes locked on the peak and feel the weight of the journey ahead. Fear creeps in. Doubt whispers. The temptation to turn back or settle where we are becomes strong.

But what if, instead of obsessing over how far we must go, we simply looked at the next step? One step. Just that.

One phone call. One healthier meal. One intentional act of love. One more rep at the gym. One more hour of focused work.

That’s it. No need to stress about step 500 when step one is right in front of you. Taken on its own, one step is laughably easy. It’s the accumulation of steps that creates the extraordinary.

Am I saying the entire journey will feel as effortless as that first step? No. There will be days when your feet ache, when the climb is steep, when the air is thin, and you wonder if it’s worth it. But those who reach the top aren’t the ones who had the easiest climb; they are the ones who took the next step anyway.

Commitment. Consistency. Courage.

No one who ever achieved greatness did so without these three. Commitment keeps you moving when motivation fades. Consistency turns small efforts into unstoppable momentum. Courage pushes you to take the next step, even when doubt and fear scream at you to stop.

You don’t feel successful? You don’t think you have what it takes? Let me tell you something—you do. The seed of success is already within you. The question is, will you nurture it? Will you take the next step?

Because if you do—if you take care of this moment—your destiny will take care of itself.

“Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.”
— Galatians 6:9 (CSB)

Have you ever tried to sink a floatie? Go ahead, give it a shove. Dunk it under. Sit on it if you must. No matter what you do, it pops right back up, smug as ever.

That’s the power of the right mindset.

Life, much like a wild day at the beach, has its share of waves. Some days, the waters are calm, and you drift effortlessly. Other times, the waves roll in like they’ve got something personal against you—financial struggles, workplace drama, unexpected setbacks. They push, pull, and try their best to keep you under.

But when your mindset is anchored in resilience, faith, and purpose, you float. You may get tossed around, sure. You may even feel submerged for a moment. But just like that floatie, you rise. Every. Single. Time.

Look at Thomas Edison—the man failed over 1,000 times before he successfully invented the light bulb. He didn’t see failure as defeat; he saw it as part of the process. No matter how many times the waves of disappointment crashed over him, his mindset kept him buoyant. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work,” he once said. That’s the unsinkable spirit.

It’s not about avoiding the waves—it’s about knowing they can’t keep you down.

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree; they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon.” — Psalm 92:12 (CSB)