I spend a lot of my life absorbing information—so do you. It seems that much of the information I consume is aimed at improvement of some sort.

Improving an aspect of my health.

Improving an aspect of my faith.

Improving an aspect of my marriage, parenting, or other relationships.

Improving an aspect of my career.

And so on, and so forth, ad nasuem . . .

Now, I'm a big believer in improvement in general, but especially in each of these previously mentioned areas. Complacency kills, especially when it comes to our faith. Improvement equals growth, and growth is good.

But occasionally, the push to grow can feel overwhelming, especially if we're focused on growing in every area of our lives.

How do we juggle the need to grow in our faith, marriage, vocation, and health? I'll pass along what God has been teaching me lately. I haven't mastered it. And it's not the complete answer. But it's a start.

We know that growth in any major area is a product of countless small decisions. James Clear has popularized this concept (his "1% rule") in very helpful ways, but it's not necessarily new. The idea of minor improvements having significant returns over time has been preached in self-help and business seminars for decades. But what has helped me is taking this idea of small improvements and boiling it down even more. I need to think about how to make even the smallest decisions to improve, and for me, it comes down to the discipline of the moment.

If we want to improve in any area of our lives, we must make the next right decision.

The next right decision.

Growth doesn't happen by accident. Intentionality is the genesis of improvement. And when it comes to the many small decisions we make each day, if we are intentional about making the right choices, growth becomes the by-product.

Hebrews 12:11 says, "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."

Do you want to grow in your knowledge of God? Make the next right decision. When faced with the decision to spend your ride to work listening to a podcast or having a time of prayer and reflection as you drive, choose God.

When you are faced with a situation with your children that you must respond to, make the decision that is right for your child, not that makes you feel good or that makes them happy.

Want to grow in your character? Partner with the Spirit by making the next right decision. Turn the TV off. Close the webpage. Don't say the thing you want to say. Don't tell the lie that just popped into your head. Take the extra moment to listen to your friend.

If you can choose to meet your needs over your spouse's needs, make the next right decision. Choose to meet their needs.

Do you have spare time at work that you often use to mindlessly scroll social media? Make the next right decision. Watching fail videos on TikTok won't help you grow in your vocation. But spending the same twenty minutes learning a new skill may.

We need to grow as Christ-followers. As spouses and parents. And as individuals. We can see the vision! We know where we want to go. Getting there doesn't have to be overwhelming. The journey starts with intentionality. And the pathway is the next right decision.

You'll soon have a chance to make your next right decision. Maybe you need to make it right now. How will you choose?

This article originally appeared in Volume 26 of my free newsletter, Good For You.

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The Next Right Decision

If we want to improve in any area of our lives, we must make the next right decision.