If I Only Had 1 Week to Live This is The Message I’d Want to Share

As I’ve shared before, I’ve been working with a spiritual coach for the past year and a half. And there’s one question he asks me during every session:

I think about that question a lot. And today, I want to share my answer with you:

Trust yourself.

That’s the message. Simple. True. And it would be the last thing I’d want my kids —and anyone who’s ever doubted themselves — to hear from me.

I wish we didn’t let our past shape what we believe is possible in our future. Because if I’ve learned anything, it’s this:

Your past doesn’t define your future. It shapes it.

I know how hard it can be to trust yourself. Especially when you think about all the things that mold our beliefs — most of which we never chose in the first place:

• How we grew up
• What our parents went through
• The friends we had
• The neighborhoods we lived in
• The stories we absorbed from the news, social media, and the world around us

We’re hardwired to avoid the unknown.
And the world—especially now—feeds that fear.
It convinces us that our dreams are too risky. That the best we can hope for is “safe.”
It tells us not to want more.

I grew up in a family that lived in survival mode. My parents moved to the U.S. with nothing. My dad had a 9th-grade education. He started a business, but for years he never made more than $350 a month. My mom worked two jobs. I barely saw her during my early years. We lived under constant financial stress. Eventually, that pressure led to bankruptcy. Then divorce.

There was no blueprint for abundance. Or even happiness.
So I followed the only advice I knew: Get a job. Hold onto it. Don’t let go.
But even that didn’t work.

I got laid off. More than once.
I was 28, working as a recruiter, barely making $50K.
I never held a job longer than two years. I had no savings. No backup plan.
And then I started thinking about starting a business.

It felt impossible.
At the same time, I had just met my now-wife. She was a teacher.
She made more money than I did. And I remember thinking:
How can I build a life with someone when I can’t even take care of myself?
What if I end up like my parents?

That’s when a mentor asked me a question I’ll never forget:
“What’s the worst that could happen if it doesn’t work?”
I said, “I guess I’d go back to being a recruiter.” He smiled and asked:
“So how does it feel to already be living your worst-case scenario?”

That question shook me. Because he was right. I had nothing to lose. Except the belief that I couldn’t have more. So I bet on myself and that one decision changed everything.

• I helped build a $72M staffing agency, which was later acquired for $11.8M
• I became one of the youngest execs at a publicly traded company
• I earned a 7-figure comp package
• I started CareerSprout
• My wife and I built a life for our kids that we never had
• We helped fund the building of two schools in Africa
• And perhaps most importantly—we found peace, purpose, and joy

Not because it was easy. But because I decided to trust myself.
And that’s what I want to pass on to you.

Whatever it is you’re pursuing—a better job, more income, work that excites you—you will face doubt. You will question if you’re good enough. You’ll worry if it’s too late. And you’ll be tempted to settle.

But let me remind you:
You’ve already done hard things.
You’ve already made it through setbacks.
You’ve already figured out things you once thought were impossible.
What’s easy for you now used to be hard. It didn’t get easier—you got better.

The job search is no different.

Everyone we’ve worked with at CareerSprout—every single person—has had their moment of doubt:

• They’ve been rejected
• They’ve been ghosted
• They’ve been overlooked and underpaid
• They’ve questioned if they’d ever get what they truly deserved

But they kept going. And now?

• They’ve been promoted
• Some became first-time executives
• Some wrote books
• Others got interviewed by major news outlets
• Many are now paying more in taxes (which we lovingly call a “good problem”)

But more importantly:

• They’re sleeping better
• They’re waking up excited
• They’re earning more, so they have options
• They’re no longer stuck in survival mode
• They’re finally building the futures they once thought were out of reach

Fear is normal. Doubt is inevitable.
But trust? That’s a choice.

So here’s my message to you:
Trust yourself more than you think you should.
Because you have more power than you’re giving yourself credit for.
Go for the thing you want.
I’ve never met someone who regretted it—and I doubt you’ll be the first.

From my family to yours, I’m rooting for you.