Put One Foot in Front of the Other: The Power of Small Decisions
- Michael Troxell
- Sep 5
- 3 min read
We tend to believe life is shaped by the big moments—graduations, job offers, weddings, moves across the country. But if you pause and look closely, you’ll realize that most of those so-called big moments are actually the result of dozens, maybe hundreds, of small decisions made quietly along the way.
I’m learning that destiny isn’t shaped by leaps—it’s shaped by small steps.
One foot in front of the other.
That’s why I’ve always loved the old Christmas claymation song from the 1970s:
“Put one foot in front of the other… and soon you’ll be walking out the door.”
As a kid, it was just a catchy tune with a bouncy melody. But as an adult—and especially as a leader, a husband, and a father—I’ve realized how profoundly true those words really are.
Every day we are walking out the door, in one direction or another. Every step is a choice. And every choice comes with a cost.
The Hidden Cost of Every Yes
In economics, there’s a concept called opportunity cost. It’s the idea that every time you say yes to one thing, you’re saying no to something else—whether you realize it or not. Choosing one road means not walking the other. And you can’t always go back. Even if you do, it costs something to return.
Robert Frost said it best in his iconic poem, The Road Not Taken:
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”
We often quote that last line with pride, as if it’s triumphant. But if you read the full poem, there’s also a quiet ache. The road not taken doesn’t disappear—it lingers in the background of our minds as the life that might have been.
That’s the weight of decision-making. Every step forward is also a step away. Even the right steps can feel heavy when you realize what they’re costing you. But maturity comes when you’re willing to measure that cost—and move forward anyway
Everything worth having costs. Most people go through life wanting something free, and they get what they pay for.
A Love Story Built on Small Steps
Over 25 years ago, I made a series of small decisions that changed the course of my life.
I was speaking at an event when I met a beautiful, brilliant young woman named Melanie. We exchanged emails and began writing each other—back when email still felt like sending a letter. Our connection grew not through one grand gesture, but through a year’s worth of small steps: questions asked, stories shared, chances taken, trust extended.
Then came a moment of decision.
At the start of a week-long convention we were both attending, I had a brief two-minute conversation with my dad. He said:
“Son, I’ll never bring this up again. But this week there will be plenty of eligible young men chasing this girl. If you don’t secure some kind of commitment from her before the week is out, you will regret it the rest of your life.”
That was it. No lecture. No pressure. Just a quiet nudge toward courage.
I chose to listen. I chose to act.
That small choice—one of many—became a turning point. This year, Melanie and I will celebrate 25 years of marriage. A life built on tiny yeses. Tiny steps. One foot in front of the other.
Big Lives Are Built on Small Choices
Leadership, love, legacy, financial security—they’re all built the same way: small steps in a consistent direction.
Proverbs 13:11 (NLT) captures this concept when it says, “Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.”
But many of us freeze, waiting for the big moment. We want clarity before we move. Certainty before we speak. Guarantees before we give.
That’s not how growth or life works.
You move first—and clarity follows. You step—and then the road rises to meet you.
The real leaders aren’t the ones who wait for a breakthrough. They’re the ones who take one more faithful step. One more hard conversation. One more act of integrity—when no one’s watching.
What Step Is in Front of You?
Maybe it’s a phone call.
Maybe it’s a boundary.
Maybe it’s blocking time to work on that dream.
Maybe it’s walking into your kid’s room and asking a better question.
Maybe it’s apologizing.
Maybe it’s asking for help.
Whatever it is—it doesn’t need to be flashy.
It just needs to be honest.
And forward.
Because that’s how every great journey begins:
You put one foot in front of the other.
And soon… you’re walking out the door.
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