{ GOODADVICE }
Believe, Then Put in the Work Story by Jay Johnson Success Coach and owner of J2 Servant Leadership, LLC
T
he night I graduated high school is crystallized in my mind. As I strolled out of the school, heading to the parking lot, a friend walking alongside me asked: “What now?” I looked at him and replied, “I honestly don’t know, but I can tell you two things I’ll never do in life. I’ll never join the military, and I’ll never step back in another classroom.” It wasn’t that I had anything against military service; I was just undisciplined and couldn’t imagine subjecting myself to a barrage of it. Regarding school, I simply didn’t enjoy sitting in a classroom or how lessons were structured and taught. In truth, I didn’t think of myself as a very good student, and I did just enough to get by. I was 17 years old when I graduated high school and at the time, I was making better than average money as a department manager in a grocery chain. Fast forward a year, and I found myself living in a two-bedroom apartment with a few friends when I began to 28 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING
do a little soul-searching. I questioned whether there was more to life than what I had experienced in the town I was growing up in. I don’t know exactly why, but from my inner reflection, I decided to go down to the local military recruiting offices for some information. Although I told myself it didn’t matter which branch of service, the first door I came to was the United States Air Force recruiter. Fast forward another year, and I found myself a United States Air Force member stationed in San Antonio. Not only was I working with some amazing men and women, but I had even discovered the discipline and structure I had dreaded was what I needed most. One person I worked with early on in San Antonio, a guy about six years older than me, profoundly and positively changed my life forever. He did so with one simple question. He asked if I had ever taken any college courses. I replied, “Nope, and I’m not really interested in doing so.” What I appreciated most about my
“Be it, until you become it”
