Every Decision is a Brick:
Building Your Future, One Choice at a Time
I remember that feeling.
Stuck at a crossroads, with a decision looming that could change everything?
Maybe you’re there right now, staring down a similar fork in the road.
It could be a career choice, a relationship question, or even something as simple as which path to take on your morning run.
I hear you.
Life is Full of Choices
In 1987, when I was twenty-one years old, I was working as a fire alarm tech.
Before that I had worked in restaurants, I liked the easy cash from tips and getting to meet people each day.
But I didn’t see myself having a career in food service. and was seeking something else.
When the construction job popped up, I jumped on it.
It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t exactly setting the world on fire (pun intended).
Then I learned about these electrical apprenticeships available: sound tech or inside wireman.
The sound tech seemed familiar with what I was doing, pulling signal cables and decent pay at $19 an hour. (about $51/hour in today’s dollars)
Inside wireman, though?
That was different.
Higher pay, $23 an hour, but also more responsibility, a tougher test to get in, and years of commitment.
Let’s face it, the safe route was staying put.
My foreman made $25 an hour, a decent bump from what I was making.
Given time and effort, it was a position I felt I could achieve.
But the wireman path?
That was a whole new building, a chance to dig in and learn a valuable skill.
Scary?
Absolutely.
But also, exciting.
Here’s the thing:
Every decision we make, big or small, is like laying a brick in the foundation of our future.
Choosing the sound tech path would have been a solid brick, sure.
But the wireman path?
That was a foundation stone, a chance to build something truly remarkable.
And that’s the power of choice, my friend.
It’s not about picking the easy route every time.
It’s about understanding that every decision, even the tough ones, shapes who we become and what we achieve.
Sure, there’s no guarantee of success.
The wireman test was competitive, over 7000 guys showed up that day in downtown Los Angeles for the exam.
And the apprenticeship was long, 4 years of night classes and on-the-job training, failing either could get you booted from the program.
But I took a shot, and that shot paid off.
Looking back, I can’t imagine where I’d be if I hadn’t taken that chance!
Being an electrician allowed me to build a happy and successful life:
I got to work on amazing projects like;
- The Peacock Theater (formerly The Nokia Theatre)
- Satellite manufacturing clean rooms and sound chambers
- SCIF rooms
- The LAX Control Tower and MSC Terminal
- and so many more
You’ve Got to “Put It On the Mat”
In martial arts, we love to debate techniques, strategies, and tactics.
But there is always one way to end the debate,
“Put it on the mat!”
Get out there and try it, see what happens and how you do it.
Here’s the truth:
The path less traveled isn’t always the easiest, but it’s often the most rewarding.
It’s about pushing yourself, taking calculated risks, and trusting your gut.
It’s about looking at that fork in the road and saying, “I’m going to build something great here.”
So, what choice are you facing right now?
Is it a new job opportunity that seems daunting?
A relationship that needs a difficult conversation?
Whatever it is, remember this: the power lies in your hands.
Don’t be afraid to take the challenging path, the one that scares you a little.
Because that’s often the path that leads to the most incredible views.
P.S. Life is full of choices. You can play it safe but that rarely pans out. So you might as well make the harder choice.
If anything, you will weed out the competition because most people are willing to make that choice.
In case you haven’t taken advantage of it, I’ve laid out the roadmap I used to make the hard choices, it’s my blueprint for personal leadership.
You can get it here for FREE: Learn to Lead
Leave a Reply