10 personal stories of seemingly small decisions that lead to significant life changes for people

Aug 31, 2023

By: Abhiram Sajai

It's the little things that matter

As we go through the many stages of life, we often try to look at decisions from a long-term perspective. While we have heard that the little decisions we make may have big effects, it's difficult to be aware of it all the time. So, most of us end up livi...

1. Taking the wrong train

Took the wrong train in a new city to do a minimum wage job that I didn't want but needed at the time. Asked a random guy for directions when mobile GPS still kind of sucked. He happened to be going in the same general direction. We rode a train together ...

2. Working in a kindergarten school

Worked in a kindergarten during my gap years between high school and university (I didn't even plan to go at the time). A kid with speech and social issues happened to take a special liking to me, resulting in me agreeing to work closely with his speech t...

3. Not canceling dinner plans

I and 2 other coworkers decided to grab some dinner after our shift. One ended up canceling, so I thought my other coworker would cancel too. We were both hungry, so we decided to still grab dinner together. We'd been coworkers for over a year and have al...

4. Going to prison for robbery

I went to prison for a robbery. I did it. I was a heroin addict. After almost 5 years in, at a work center, I got a write-up that would make me stay in for a few months longer. The warden offered a deal if I would paint a mural at a local high school of their ...

5. Trying out the green card lottery

Entered the green card lottery. My friend was trying to figure out how to do it, so I downloaded the instructions and completed an application to show them how. Since it was easier than asking them for all their info, I made a dummy application using my own in...

6. Bypassing the internet filter at work

My new desk job’s internet filter stopped me from going to my favorite websites. It didn’t block Boardgamegeek.com, however, so I ended up spending my downtime at work researching board games, game designers, and publishers. I read about a game I couldn’t find...

7. Getting injured

Scratched myself up in the field in ROTC training due to my own stupidity. Debated whether to go to the medical tent, since it was super minor. I ultimately did, and the cot next to me was a cadet from another school that was in a unit more in line with my car...

8. Going out with friends

Broke up with my high school sweetheart before college because I didn't want a long-distance relationship. I would come to regret it and miss her miserably over the next five years, even while dating other people. I would stalk her myspace pics (yes I&apo...

9. Knocking at an old friend's door

About 22 years ago I was fresh outta high school and had no idea what I was going to do with my life. I went out rollerblading one evening and I decided to go down this road that looked familiar. I noticed a house and thought "Hey, that kinda looks like m...

10. Deciding to work

I had no direction in college, so after year 3 I decided to take a break and just work. I already had a part-time job on the books and a friend encouraged me to look into a position he knew about in pharmacy. It was off the books, I had free time, so I decided...