The problems of the world can feel overwhelming. It’s easy to look around and ask, How could one person possibly make a difference?
I’ve come to believe the answer is this: we make the biggest differences by doing small things, over time, with consistency—and doing a lot of them.
Let me tell you the story of two people who did that for me. Two leaders who changed my world—and by extension, the worlds of many others I’ve led throughout my career.
Josh Wheeler: The Leader Who Made Me Stay
In 2000, I was a young Corporal, angry and burnt out. I was stuck in what was widely regarded as one of the worst platoons in the unit—poor leadership, toxic environment, and no light at the end of the tunnel.
I hated the Army. I hated the Ranger Regiment. I was counting the days until my ETS. I didn’t care what came next—as long as it wasn’t this.
Then one day, a Staff Sergeant named Josh Wheeler came over from another platoon to be my new Squad Leader.
I had never met anyone like him.
His energy, his excitement, his love of leadership, and his relentless drive to train and win—it blew me away.
Six months later, I was a newly promoted Sergeant. I had reenlisted. And I couldn’t imagine doing anything else with my life.
That man changed everything for me. He showed me what it meant to be a Ranger leader. To work hard, lead with passion, and train with a level of commitment and joy I had never seen before.
Josh continued his service and impacted countless others until he was killed in combat fighting ISIS in Iraq in 2015. His legacy lives on—not just through those who knew him, but through those of us who carry his influence forward.
One Conversation That Changed Everything
Years later, I was on my second deployment to Iraq as a Platoon Sergeant. It was one of those high-tempo deployments filled with firefights, helicopter insertions, and target after target.
On one mission, one of our squads stormed a house. As they entered, an insurgent leapt from a stairwell and tackled the Squad Leader. A struggle ensued. The threat was neutralized, and we moved on.
That night, back at the compound, I ran into a longtime friend and respected NCO—let’s call him Rick.
He asked how the mission had gone. I gave him the quick version.
He paused for a moment. Then, without hesitation, proceeded to verbally dismantle me. Not out of disrespect—but because he knew the stakes. And he knew we were doing it wrong.
Later, I brought my Squad Leaders over to sit with Rick and his team. What followed was one of the most enlightening tactical discussions of my life.
They broke down our approach—how our door-kicking, linear-clearance tactics were outdated, predictable, and dangerous. If the enemy could jump on us during an entry, something was very, very wrong.
They offered a new way of thinking—new tactics, new methods of approach, new mindsets. Over the following weeks, we changed everything:
- How we approached targets
- How we planned operations
- How we taught and rehearsed assaults
We took those lessons home after deployment. The changes rippled through the battalion—and to some extent, through the entire Regiment. The techniques influenced how the largest Special Operations raid force in the military executed direct action missions.
One NCO. One moment of truth.
And countless lives changed—some perhaps even saved.
Start Small. Stay Steady. Lead Yourself.
Don’t worry about changing the world. Worry about changing the little piece of it you touch every day.
Lead yourself. Show up consistently. Be the kind of leader who quietly transforms the room without needing recognition.
You might not see the results tomorrow, or next month, or even in a year. But over time, those small moments, done with care and conviction, create impact far beyond anything you could ever measure.
I know this to be true—because it happened to me.
One person changed my world.
You can change someone else’s.