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Does anyone really stop to think about the road leading up to where they are today? How many forks in the road along the way where you went one way and wonder what if you went the other way?

Did you start traveling one way and scurry back to then go the other way? Was that the best decision?

We unfortunately don’t know the what ifs, but that’s just life, right?

May 15, 2006, I started out as an apprentice, not knowing anything about HVAC aside from what I needed to do to the thermostat to get my dad complaining about how much it cost for that ‘thing’ outside to run. It’s a condenser, by the way.

Being an apprentice is one thing—being the boss’s nephew and an apprentice is an entirely different story. A month in, I was told by an exec I wouldn’t make it past the summer.

For me, it clicked about four years in. I always prided myself on doing things the right way. I had the opportunity to work with some of the most knowledgeable techs and used what I learned to further myself throughout my career. I never turned down service calls, the extra work, the opportunity to learn more, or the training classes available. For consecutive years, I would cover 26–27 weeks of after-hours service per year. It’s not without “practice” that you succeed. People may not say it, but practice in this industry is trial by fire. Training is just a small percentage— you need the hands-on.

“Growth isn’t always linear. It’s the consistency, the effort, and the willingness to keep showing up that pushes you forward”

As much of a control freak as I am, I always made sure to allow those coming up, the opportunity to get hands-on time, to work through scenarios.

Circling back to that fork in the road—I’ve stood there a few times, staring at the Scarecrow with his arms crossed. While those decisions might not define us for who we are, they are defining moments.

Crossroad decisions don’t always have to be career-based; our everyday personal lives sometimes dictate the roads we are led down. Though more often than not, our careers overshadow our personal lives.

There’s certainly a shift in the current landscape today and it’s not just in the mechanical industry—it’s with any industry.

We might get an opportunity afforded to us, but that doesn’t translate to success. You need to put in the work to excel in your field, dedicate the time to learn, to obtain the tools to progress and get yourself to the next level.And once you reach that level, it’s OK to stop and look around, catch your breath and find out what you need to get to the next level.

So wherever you are in your journey— whether you’re staring down a new fork in the road or just catching your breath at a rest stop—remember that growth isn’t always linear. It’s the consistency, the effort and the willingness to keep showing up that pushes you forward. The path may not always be clear, but if you keep moving with intention, you’ll find that each step—right or wrong—has a purpose.