Start where you stand

"Rags-to-Riches" starts with rags

March 26, 2025

“Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right’. Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along” -George Herbert

There’s a disconnect between the stories we love to hear and how we believe our story should unfold.

Pelé, the famous soccer player, first learned to play the sport by kicking a grapefruit around because he couldn’t afford a real ball. But we won’t start our fitness goals until we have all the equipment and clothing we need.

Dolly Parton’s first instrument was a guitar she made herself out of an old mandolin and two bass guitar strings when she was seven years old. But that would be embarrassing for us; no way we can start our journey with a scrappy DIY project.

Steve Jobs started Apple by building a computer with Steve Wozniak in his parent’s garage with scavenged parts and a wooden box as the computer’s casing. But we need to write out long, extensive business plans before we can start building.

Everyone loves hearing a rags-to-riches story but very few are willing to pick up the rag.