Years ago, on a cold winter day, I faced a difficult decision. Laid off two weeks before Christmas and challenged by the high cost of living Seattle brings, the pressure mounted to find a new job. I sent hundreds of job applications every day and braced for the reality that bills may go unpaid in the coming weeks.
Time did me no favors, but my drill checks, our Air BnB income, and random hustles here and there bought me time to get interviews. Each interview revealed fatal flaws in the potential employment of each interviewer, save two. Though getting job offers from two different places allowed me a bit of relief, the choice between them brought about a great deal of stress.
One offer came from FedEx, who I have always had a serious interest in. How can a company move something from one side of the globe to the other inside a 24-hour window for a minimal cost? How is that possible? The very concept intrigues me to this day. How can a company deliver anything to anyone, anywhere? The seduction of participation came on undeniably strong.
The pay presented another factor. I would easily make over $100k per year for the first time in my life. And those paychecks increased as I moved up in the company. Oh, and the ability to work my way up the ranks meant moving to exciting new places every few years. Cait always wanted to travel, why not travel to far-flung places on the company dime? The offer had my interest, to say the least.
Alternatively, I would have to drive an hour north and work the overnight shift in a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul facility for a whopping $18 per hour. The company had contracts with Southwest, Virgin, Janus, American, and other business jet owners, and the low-paying but suffered from the narrow margins that plagued the entire industry. Though, in the world of aircraft maintenance, it presented a gritty chance at earning “heavy commercial experience”.
However, I wanted to break into the business side of aviation, and the low-paying misery offered a path to do just that. At least, that's what I kept telling myself as the pitiful paychecks dripped in. Every night of the week I made the drive through the city at 3am, knowing I would go home and sleep for a few hours only to wake up and do it again. Maybe I would see my wife on her lunch break, but likely, I wouldn’t.
I kept at it for just shy of a year, learning how real aviation works. I needed to learn how to use their manuals, work with engineering, and troubleshoot big jets in their own unique way. Everyone pays for their education either in dollars or in sleepless nights rewiring a 737 as lavatory water drips onto your face. No free rides, after all.
Now, as I stand sipping coffee watching the sun peak through the trees into my backyard with my wife and daughter asleep on a Saturday morning, I know I made the right decision. I could have decent money faster with an easier life if I had chosen FedEx, but it would have meant not doing what I love. I would have never smelled jet exhaust or heard a turbine igniter make its signature snapping sound ever again.
Today, as I work on bringing commercial aviation to my hometown, I now realize that the decision I made all those years ago was the right one. Instead of chasing money, I did what I loved and sought excellence in my craft. That decision changed my life and will likely go on to change the lives of countless others who will never read this and won’t even know my name.
Years ago I came to a fork in the trail of life in a tall, douglas spruce covered wood on the Puget Sound. I choose to take the road less traveled and that has truly made all the difference. I encourage you to do the same. Chase your purpose, not what you can make. It’s only money, anyway.
Hone the Edge.