#423 Shoes. Gone before us.

A single snapshot—small feet swallowed by a parent’s heavy work shoes—can change how we think about progress. We take that vivid image from Andrew in Tennessee and turn it into a practical mindset: every step we take is shaped by the people who walked before us, and the simplest objects around us can remind us to honor that truth.

We talk through the quiet power of mentors and everyday guides: parents who showed us grit, teachers who sparked curiosity, coaches who pushed our limits, bosses who opened doors, friends who told the hard truth, and even strangers whose small kindness shifted a day. Instead of chasing the self-made myth, we explore what it looks like to live team-made—sharing credit, asking better questions, and turning gratitude into action. The shoe metaphor helps us see the hidden friction others absorbed so we could move farther, faster.

You’ll hear a straightforward practice you can adopt today: when you put on your shoes, pause for a breath, name someone who paved your path, and choose one small step that honors their investment. We also offer ways to pay it forward—let others try on bigger roles with support, document your playbook, celebrate first scuffs, and design routes others can walk with confidence. It’s a simple shift that builds trust, amplifies impact, and turns daily routines into moments that instigate growth.

If this story moved you, share it with someone who helped you stand taller, subscribe for more practical growth prompts, and leave a review with the name of a person you’re honoring this week. Whose shoes will you acknowledge today?

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Setup
• 0:21 The Shoe Metaphor Introduced
• 0:27 Andrew’s Photo And Question
• 0:53 Gratitude For Those Before Us
• 1:16 Growth From Everyday Objects
• 1:56 Share Your Shoe Lessons

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Welcome to the Growth Insigators Hotline. I'm Aaron Havens, your host and growth coach. This is message 423. This week we are talking about shoes, an everyday normal object that we can assign deeper meaning to. Something that can grab our attention and represents something bigger. Welcome to part three of five as we dive into lessons we can glean from shoes. Woo my goodness, Andrew from Tennessee is on a roll. In his message he left yesterday, he described one of his favorite photographs he has. It's a picture of him as a cute little guy standing in his dad's big old black work shoes. Can you picture that? I can. Beautiful picture. All day yesterday I was thinking about this, and as Andrew said, he asked the question: who has gone before us? Man, I have so many people that have gone before me. And if I started naming them off, I would for sure miss someone. None of us are here solo. We've all had a parent, a teacher, a coach, a boss, a friend, and a random cashier that has made us better. So sure, you can put on your shoes today and just hit the road. I think though, today, as you put those shoes on, it could be really cool to pause and think about the people that have gone before you. Honoring them and thanking them could be a great takeaway for today. So for everyone that has has and continues to make me better, thank you so much for letting me be on your team. I couldn't be here without you. That, my friends, is how a common everyday object can instigate growth. I'd like to hear some more of your observations. What growth lessons can you apply to shoes? For those of you calling the Growth Instigators Hotline, I'd love to hear your thoughts after the beep. For those of you listening in on our podcast, visit growth instigators.com and send me your thoughts. Let's never see shoes the same.