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)

Life has a way of teaching us lessons in the most unexpected places—like at a four-way stop.

Last Wednesday, I approached a stop sign, clearly arriving first. But the driver on my left decided the rules didn’t apply to him—he darted forward, then had the audacity to honk at me! Well, I wasn’t about to let that slide, so I hit my horn too. That’s when he took it a step further—stopping right in front of me to block my path.

Frustrated but determined, I started to reverse, planning to go around him. And guess what? The moment I chose a different route, he moved.

That’s when it hit me—how often in life does this same pattern play out? Just when we’re advancing toward a goal, someone appears to block us—whether out of spite, envy, or simply because they can. Their actions aren’t about progress; they’re about provoking a reaction.

But here’s the key: Don’t waste your energy engaging in petty roadblocks. Instead, pivot. Shift your approach, but not your ambition. Sometimes, the quickest way forward is a slight detour. And often, the obstacle moves the moment you stop pushing against it.

So, the next time life—or someone—tries to deflate your zeal, remember: You control your route. Reverse if you must, reroute, when necessary, but never retreat from your purpose.

As Proverbs 4:25-26 (CSB) reminds us:

“Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established.”

Keep your eyes on the destination. The path may change, but your purpose remains.

Desire without capacity is like a jet without fuel—full of potential but unable to take off. Many people dream big but lack the endurance, discipline, or wisdom to sustain the weight of their aspirations. Growing your capacity means developing the habits, skills, and resilience necessary to handle what you seek. Without this, you may achieve a goal only to lose it by defaulting to old, comfortable patterns.

However, don’t confuse capacity with clarity. Just because you see an opportunity doesn’t mean you’re ready to act on it. Not because you can do something means you should. Seeing a burger doesn’t mean you should eat the burger. Seeing the perfect gap in traffic doesn’t mean you should cut someone off. Wisdom is knowing when to move forward and when to hold back.

Take Ray Kroc, for example. In the 1950s, he was selling milkshake machines when he discovered a small but highly efficient restaurant run by the McDonald brothers. He immediately saw its potential. But clarity alone wasn’t enough—he needed the capacity to execute his vision. Instead of rushing in, he spent years developing the discipline, partnerships, and financial backing to expand McDonald’s into a global empire. Had he acted impulsively, he might have ended up just another failed entrepreneur with a great idea.

The world offers many choices, but discipline ensures your decisions align with your long-term vision. Build your capacity so that when the right moment comes, you’re not just willing—you’re ready.

“Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible, but not everything builds up.” — 1 Corinthians 10:23 (CSB)

Ever driven a car that sputters, lags, or guzzles gas like it’s allergic to efficiency? That’s what life feels like when your habits are out of tune. But when you fine-tune your daily routines—just like a well-maintained engine—you run smoother, go farther, and perform at your absolute best.

Think of your habits like spark plugs, fuel injectors, and oil that keep your life moving forward. If you neglect them, you end up burning more energy than necessary, running inefficiently, and eventually breaking down. But with the right adjustments, you can hit peak performance.

• Check Your Fuel: What are you putting into your mind and body? Junk in equals junk out. Upgrade your inputs—read, learn, and fuel yourself with the right food and thoughts.
• Adjust Your Timing: Your productivity isn’t just about what you do; it’s when you do it. Are you running high-performance tasks when your energy is at its peak, or are you misfiring at the wrong times?
• Change the Oil: Regular reflection and self-improvement are like oil changes for your mind. Skip them, and you’ll burn out.
• Clear the Exhaust: Negative self-talk and bad influences clog up your system. Get rid of anything slowing you down.
• Get a Tune-Up: Even the best cars need maintenance. Surround yourself with mentors, accountability partners, and wisdom to keep you running efficiently.

A well-tuned engine doesn’t just get from point A to B—it flies down the road with power and efficiency. Fine-tune your habits and watch how far you can go.

“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)

Les Brown’s quote, “If you can look up, you can get up,” is a timeless reminder that no matter how tough life gets, as long as you still have hope and vision, you can rise from the depths of despair. His message is simple yet profound: setbacks are not the end of the story unless you allow them to be. By keeping your focus upward—on possibilities, faith, and perseverance—you position yourself to rise again, stronger and wiser.

Les Brown embodies this philosophy through his own incredible journey. Born into poverty and labeled “educable mentally retarded” in school, he could have easily succumbed to those limiting beliefs. Instead, he challenged them. One pivotal moment in his life came when he was struggling to break into the world of radio broadcasting. After being turned down multiple times for a job, he didn’t give up. He kept showing up at the radio station, doing odd jobs, and staying visible.

His big break came unexpectedly when the station’s DJ called in sick, and Les was asked to fill in. He seized the opportunity with enthusiasm, proving his talent and launching his career in broadcasting. This moment wasn’t just luck—it was a culmination of persistence and readiness, exemplifying the “look up, get up” mindset.

Les teaches us that life’s challenges are not permanent roadblocks but opportunities to prove our resilience. By maintaining hope and taking consistent action, we can all get back up, no matter how far we’ve fallen.

As Proverbs 24:16 (CSB) says,

“Though a righteous person falls seven times, he will get up, but the wicked will stumble into ruin.”

Let’s take a page from Les Brown’s playbook and keep looking up—because that’s how we find the strength to get up.