The Next Step

Yesterday, I spent over twelve hours driving to my next destination. That gave me a lot of time to think.

Two questions I keep circling around lately involve place and focus. And somewhere during the drive, I realized that the best thing to do in both cases is remarkably simple: take the next step.

That’s it.

First decide. Then commit. Then take consistent action.

Those three things trump almost all the research, analysis, and planning we tend to do. I’m not saying the deeper dives are unimportant. Research matters. Planning matters. Thinking matters. But eventually there comes a point where only action can move us forward. Only action takes us in a new direction. And sometimes it takes us to a destination we could never have fully understood beforehand.

That realization hit me during the first of three gas stops.

While the car was filling up, I went inside to use the restroom and grab a coffee for the road. As the coffee brewed, I looked around at all the snacks available for purchase: chips, donuts, candy, breakfast sandwiches, and every other convenience-store temptation imaginable. Almost automatically, I Wanted to pick up something to go with my coffee.

Then I caught myself.

You see, somewhere along the way I had given myself permission to eat junk food while traveling. It felt like a reward for enduring the boredom and tension of a long drive.

But when I stopped to think about it, that logic didn’t make much sense.

The truth is that I actually enjoy road trips. Are they tiring sometimes? Of course. But overall, I find them pleasant. I enjoy seeing new places. I enjoy the movement. I enjoy the sense of adventure. So why exactly did I need a sugary treat to make the experience better?

As I stood there, I realized the moment represented something larger than a snack choice. It was an opportunity to take the next step.

So I didn’t grab that Iced Honey Bun calling my name.

I walked to the register with only my coffee. Then, as if the universe wanted to make sure I was serious, the gentleman behind the counter immediately started telling me how great their breakfast burritos were and asking whether I was sure I didn’t want one.

“No thanks,” I said. “I’m good.”

What I was really deciding in that moment was something much bigger than whether or not to buy a snack.

I decided that I am eliminating sweets until I reach my target weight.

I do have one exception. If I find myself at a birthday party and cake is being served, I’m having a slice. No guilt. No analysis. No debate. But outside of that, I’m off the crack of sugar until I get where I want to be.

As I continued driving, I considered whether this should become a One Hit Wonder goal. I ultimately decided it didn’t need to be. What mattered was taking the next step. Not the perfect step. Not the final step. Just the next one. Something I was willing and prepared to do immediately and carry forward consistently over the coming weeks and months.

That is enough.

I think this is very close to what James Clear means in Atomic Habits when he talks about getting one percent better each day. A small decision, repeated consistently, creates leverage.

In my case, this one decision simplifies things. It saves money. It saves calories. It removes a source of empty rewards from my daily life. And it reduces the amount of mental energy I spend negotiating with myself.

The idea itself is almost laughably simple. So simple, in fact, that it is easy to dismiss. But I’m increasingly convinced that much of personal growth works this way. Not through dramatic transformations or perfect plans, but through repeatedly taking the next step that is available to us.

The drive also helped me make a major decision regarding my next One Hit Wonder. I know what it will be, although I’ll save that discussion for a future article. I also had several realizations regarding my ongoing questions about place and where I ultimately want to spend my time. Those questions are more complicated, but even there, I think I know what the next steps are.

Now it’s simply a matter of taking them.

Nothing earth-shattering today. Just a reminder that progress often arrives disguised as a very ordinary decision.

A coffee. A snack not purchased. A commitment made.

And then the next step.

Perhaps there is a next step sitting in front of you right now. Whether it involves your health, finances, relationships, career, creativity, or something else entirely, maybe today is the day to stop analyzing it and simply take it.