A practical guide to making meaningful progress by focusing on daily decisions rather than waiting for perfect conditions. Learn how choosing one small action each day can build momentum and transform your life through consistent, intentional choices.
Her Story
About Adeline
At her core, Addy helps the Department of War buy smarter. As a Senior Advisor on Contracting Policies and Procedures within the Office of the Secretary of War, she works at the intersection of policy, procurement, and people, shaping how the Department acquires commodities and services, and translating that work for Congress and their staff when legislation is on the table.
In previous roles, Addy held unlimited warrant authority as a Contracting Officer, served as a Division Chief and Branch Head for procurement teams, and worked acquisition roles across the Army and Navy, from Fort Eustis to Norfolk Naval Shipyard to overseas in Souda Bay, Crete, Greece.
Outside her day job, she writes about leadership and professional growth as a Featured Contributor for GovLoop, reaching a community of 300,000+ government professionals. Her writing has resonated widely, cited in CEO World Magazine, used as a case study at the Texas DoT Elite Innovation Academy and the 2025 PMI Global Summit, and recognized in a Library of Congress exhibition on leadership and innovation.
She's an MBA and a Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Level III–certified contracting professional, with executive leadership training from Cornell and a data analytics certificate from Harvard. When she's not working, you'll probably find her hiking or overlanding somewhere off the grid with the people she loves.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Adeline
01What do you attribute your success to?
Hard work and not being afraid to raise my hand. I come from a family that didn't have much, so I learned early that opportunities don't just show up, you have to go after them. I've taken on roles most people wouldn't volunteer for, and said yes to opportunities I wasn't sure I was ready for. I also attribute a lot of it to staying a lifelong learner. Every certification, every degree, every new role taught me something I couldn't have gotten by staying comfortable.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
A mentor once told me that you're going to hear a lot of "no's" in your life. As I reflected on that, I understood what she meant. You're going to have a lot of doors close on you, but if you keep growing, you'll see that a lot of doors will also open. If you don't try, you're not going to succeed, and that comes with hearing a lot of no's. But don't let that stop you. Don't listen to it. Just keep going. Reflect on the lessons learned, and hold onto a positive mindset.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't limit yourself. I'm an overthinker, and sometimes I think, "Am I good enough?" But I've learned to put those thoughts aside and keep going. Take any opportunity that comes your way.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Speed. The Government has to move faster, and that means modernizing how we buy things. Contracting processes that took months, sometimes years, can't keep pace with technology, threats, or mission needs anymore. There's real momentum right now toward modernization, streamlining acquisition pathways, adopting new tools, cutting red tape where we can, but the challenge is doing that without losing accountability. Speed and compliance aren't naturally at odds, but getting the balance right takes work. That challenge, and figuring out how to solve it, is what I find most interesting about where the field is headed.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My family. Progress, education, and career advancement. I come from a very poor family, and having an education has opened doors for me. I'm a lifelong learner. Anytime I see an opportunity at work, or a chance to volunteer with associations, I take it. I just raise my hand.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Adeline
Another Day to Get it Right
Why small daily decisions matter more than perfect plans
Most people wake up hoping today goes well. Almost nobody wakes up deciding to make it go well.
As I drove through the security gate at work one morning, the guard smiled, wished me good morning, and added, "Another day to get it right."
I nodded and drove on, but I sat in the parking lot for a solid minute thinking about it. That was some solid advice—not from an executive coach or a preacher, just from a guy at a gate, doing his job well, reminding me that his day and mine started with the same choice.
Getting It Right Is a Daily Decision, Not a Personality Trait
Getting it right is not reserved for the naturally organized, relentlessly upbeat, or magically disciplined people you see on social media. Some of us hit snooze a couple of times. Some of us need reminders, a second cup of coffee, and a few minutes before we are fit for human interaction.
That is not a character flaw.
Your personality may shape how you move through the day, but it does not get the final vote on what you do with it. You do.
You do not need to become a different person before you can make a better decision. You do not need a new personality, a perfect plan, or a sudden burst of confidence. You need one honest moment where you decide: I may not control everything today, but I will take responsibility for something.
Stop Waiting to Feel Ready
We wait for Monday or next week. We wait for more energy, more confidence, more time, or a better attitude. We tell ourselves that when life settles down, we will finally start.
But life does not really settle down. It keeps changing, and with every change comes another demand on your time, your energy, and your attention.
That is why progress usually starts before you even feel motivated. It starts with a conscious decision you make while you are tired, uncertain, busy, and maybe annoyed that you have to make it at all.
Sometimes you have to act first, give yourself something small to build on, and let the momentum catch up later.
Choose One Thing to Do Well Today
Pick one thing you can actually accomplish today. Not ten things. Not a complete reinvention of your life by lunchtime. One thing.
Tackle the task you have been procrastinating on. Make the call. Send the email. Go for the walk. Apologize. Show up with a little more patience than you had yesterday.
Small actions, repeated often enough, become something bigger over time. Each time you follow through, you give yourself proof that you're capable of moving forward and that you're not as stuck as you may have believed.
Getting it right doesn't have to look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like doing what you said you would do. Sometimes it looks like pausing before you react. Sometimes it looks like trying again after you did not get it right yesterday.
None of this requires a new job, a new plan, or a new identity. It requires the willingness to treat your choices like they matter.
You are building a life in real time, day by day, whether you acknowledge it or not. So take the guard's advice.
Today is another day to get it right.
Not perfectly. Not all at once.
Just one thing at a time.
Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of War.
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