How’s your trajectory?
A lot of people cannot even fathom the potential they have. As a result, they aim too low. The natural world teaches us something important: a small difference at the beginning of an object’s journey can make a massive difference in how far it goes.
That’s trajectory.
Years ago, I realized I had a propensity to drift in the direction of folly—and I didn’t want to stay on that path. I wanted to grow in wisdom, so one day I took one small step: I asked a wiser man I was fishing with what I should do. His answer was simple and practical:
“If you want to grow in wisdom, the book of Proverbs has 31 chapters. Read one chapter a day. If you miss a day, don’t worry—just pick it back up next month.”
I almost missed the power of that suggestion because it seemed so simple. But I started.
So on the fifth of every month, I read a passage that’s a powerful reminder of how small steps can also work in the opposite direction to sabotage a life. Wise King Solomon warns his son about the danger of thoughtless steps:
“Keep a path far from her [temptation]. Do not go near the door of her house, lest you give your best strength to others… At the end of your life… you will groan when your flesh and body are spent… You will say, ‘How I hated discipline… I would not obey my teachers or listen to my instructors…’”
The point is hauntingly simple: he isn’t warning his son about sprinting into disaster. Hardly anyone does that! Most people don’t sprint into disaster. We scroll into it. He’s warning him about taking one small step in the wrong direction—going near the door—and paying for it for years.
It’s a powerful principle for all of us:
Small steps compound into massive outcomes.
One small step in the right direction can yield benefits far beyond what you could ever ask or imagine. But one small step toward the wrong thing can lead to a lifetime of regret. That’s because each step—thoughtless or deliberate—sets your life on a trajectory.
The truth is, every day you’re pursuing something.
The truth is, you get to choose what you pursue today.
The truth is, today’s choice matters—more than most people want to admit.
So let me ask you a question: Which way are your steps headed right now—thoughtless, toward the door of regret, or deliberate, toward the life you were made for?
Trust me: the first step usually isn’t dramatic. Most life change isn’t. It’s simple. It’s the kind of step you almost don’t feel on day one—but you absolutely recognize a year later.
Small steps compound into massive outcomes.
So take a step.
If you want to grow in wisdom, start where I started: open Proverbs. Read one chapter a day. If you miss one, don’t spiral—just come back to it tomorrow… or next month. Get wisdom. Get understanding. And be patient as the benefits of that small choice compound and the trajectory of your life begins to change.
I’m cheering you on!