If I Have Seen Further

I still had the property in Orlando hanging over my head. I couldn't afford to sell it, but I also couldn't afford to keep it, but it seemed less painful to keep it.  In the fallout of the 2008 housing crisis, the economy really tanked in 2009.

At first I wasn’t too worried because the company I worked for had a reputation for taking care of its people, and I had 5 projects going on. In January of 09 they let a bunch of people go, including a secretary that was 7 months pregnant and the father had just left her. Every few weeks after that 1 or 2 people would get let go. There was such a nervous energy in the office with everyone wondering if they would be next. I had my 5 projects, so I still wasn’t too concerned, but one by one they finished up. In November of 2009, I got laid off from my job as a project manager for a large GC when work in the construction industry dried up. To make things worse, this happened in the midst of a terrible personal tragedy which I will not detail here. So much for a company that takes care of its people. It was an all-time low for me both personally and professionally. I took a little time to lick my wounds and start the job hunt, but quickly realized that there wasn’t much out there. So, I made a change, took a small step, and took things into my own hands. I put my tools on and started working.  

Working with my hands did two things. It kept my mind and body busy and gave me some time to deal with my grief. I took on some small remodeling projects, did some painting, and generally did whatever I could to keep myself busy and generate some income while I continued my job hunt. That persistence led to a part time consulting position that was exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it. It wasn’t perfect, but it was another small step in the right direction.

Now for the next level of difficulty. My wife, who was a Registered Nurse at the time, had been going to school to obtain her Nurse Practitioner degree. Like many working professionals, she had been taking a class or two every semester while working full time. However, she reached the point in the program where she needed to leave her full-time job as an RN to go to school full time and finish her clinicals to wrap up her NP program. If she didn’t quit her job and go to school full time, the previous years of classes would have gone to waste as the program was changing. My part time consulting gig wasn’t going to support us. So, we had a tough decision looming in our future.

D-day arrived. She had a deadline to turn in her notice at her job that was in the morning. I had a second job interview that afternoon for a full-time project manager position. Instead of a small step, we took a leap of faith. I told my wife to turn in her notice that morning, not knowing what would happen that afternoon. For about 4 hours we had no steady source of income and really weren’t sure how we were going to make ends meet. That afternoon I accepted the job. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked and filled in a much needed gap. Which again was exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it.

Fast forward a couple years and I was fortunate to be offered an amazing opportunity to come work with another large GC in Chicago. I took the opportunity to evaluate the rental in Orlando and decided to just unload it.  I sold it at a loss on paper, but it allowed me to pull all of my equity out and use it as a down payment on a condo in Chicago.  Still uneducated in REI, I thought that was the best move.  

After a few projects to prove my worth, I was selected to be a Sr PM on a skyscraper project in the middle of downtown.  Today I stand atop the 3rd tallest building in Chicago and am thankful for how high I have climbed over the last 11 years. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” – Isaac Newton.

I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors that came to this country with next to nothing in search of a better life for their families and worked so hard to provide it. I stand on the shoulders of my parents, who taught me to work hard, and supported me every step of the way. I stand on the shoulders of the friends, family, teachers, coaches, mentors, and bosses that I have had over the years, that taught me the skills and imparted the knowledge that I now call my own. I stand on the shoulders of my coworkers at Vista, who put in the work, and walked through the meat grinder every single day to will this building to rise high above this City. I stand on the shoulders of my wife, who is one of the strongest people that I know, and who has had my back through all of this.

So, where am I going with all of this? It was a bit of a rambling story, I know. I guess the point is we all have struggles. We all have times where we are not happy with where we are in life or are uncertain of what our future holds. Take the small steps. Put in the work. Take the occasional leap of faith. And again, put in the work. You may surprise yourself exactly how high you can climb!