Age 32 and sentenced to 29.5 years in federal prison…
Ever look back at your greatest challenges and see how many turned out to become your greatest strengths?
April, 17 years ago, woke up one day without a job. I worked remotely from home as a web designer, and couldn’t get a hold of anyone at the office.
“Did you hear?” I get a message on AOL Instant Messenger.
The company was raided by armed local and federal agents. The owner of the business had an old, settled civil suit catch up as a criminal case.
A grand jury investigated for 4 years, and threw it out saying it had no merit. The federal agents had it out for him, took it to another US attorney… who also dismissed it. Then a third US attorney in a different district… who also threw it out.
Determined, and at the 4th courthouse across the country, they got an attorney that wanted to take it, and he was found guilty April, 2008 and sentenced to 30 years.
Whether he did this or that, I don’t know. But I was now out of a job, and had three choices.
- See if the company could rebuild and survive without him
- Find a new job
- Bet on myself
Replaced my income in a few months, and 18 years later choosing #3 changed my life, my wife’s life, our kids, and multiple generations to come. Not only in my lineage, but the butterfly effect of those I’ve taught, and the impact on their families, children, and lineage as well.
Bet on yourself more often.
