Give back by saying YES

We all all have that one person that when they ask, we say yes. We all have that one band or author that when they put out something new, you get it, no questions asked. Sometimes, organizations can be the same way. I’m not talking about a particular store, but something bigger than that. Think Apple as an example.

“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.”

— Warren Buffett

There’s a simple truth about organizations that shape us: when they ask you to serve, you say yes.

If you’ve been part of something meaningful—an institution, a program, a community—and you’ve grown because of it, learned from it, or benefited in ways you can’t fully quantify, then stepping up when you’re asked isn’t just a duty. It’s gratitude in action. You know firsthand what that organization gave you. Saying yes is how you pay it forward.

I was listening to a podcast recently, and this idea wasn’t just mentioned—it was the message of the entire episode. It got me thinking about Scouting.

I stepped away from Scouting for about fifteen years. Life happened, careers shifted. I was “too old” for the rhythm of weekly meetings and monthly campouts faded into the background. Mostly though, I didn’t have a kid in the program. For me, that was it. That was the thing that helped me get back into it. I found my way back. And when I did, I started from the beginning again—just an involved parent trying to help out.

From there, the familiar path unfolded: Den Leader. Assistant Cubmaster. Cubmaster. Wood Badge participant. PLC participant. Wood Badge staffer. NYLT staffer. District volunteer. The list goes on, as it does for most adult Scouters. We wear multiple hats, often at the same time, because once you’ve experienced the good Scouting can do, it’s hard not to give back.

We don’t say yes because we need another title. We don’t say yes because we are bored and need to fill our time (it’s only an hour a week). We say yes because we remember what it felt like to be shaped by this movement—its leaders, its adventures, its challenges, its values. We say yes because someone once said yes for us.

And now it’s our turn.

“Try and leave this world a little better than you found it, and when your turn comes to die, you can die happy in feeling that at any rate, you have not wasted your time but have done your best.”

— Robert Baden Powell

From Accidental Beginnings to Intentional Leadership: A Decade of Growth

Sometimes you decide to take a chance. Sometimes you decide to step into the unknown. And sometimes those decisions work out in ways you never expected.

I didn’t plan to work in this industry. In fact, when I first stepped into it more than ten years ago, I didn’t even know it existed. I had an introduction, we both took a chance, and here we are. New state, new industry, new processes and systems that felt like a foreign language — I was just trying to find my footing. Every day brought a new challenge, and every challenge brought a new opportunity to figure things out.

Somewhere along the way, the unfamiliar became familiar. The questions became answers. The problems became puzzles I actually enjoyed solving. And the work that once felt overwhelming slowly became something I took pride in.

Now, as I look ahead to earning another industry certification, I can see it clearly: I didn’t grow into this industry — I grew because of it.

The best way to learn is hands-on, side by side with people who want you to succeed. I’ve been fortunate to find those people along the way. Late nights, weekends, and projects that pulled me away from home — each one taught me something. They taught me more about the industry than any book ever could, but they also taught me not to take things for granted.

Work — life balance isn’t a constant. It comes in seasons, and those seasons are always shifting. Every late night or out-of-town trip is time away from what matters most: my family. That perspective has shaped how I approach my work and how I show up for the people around me.

Every project brings new challenges — new things to learn, new deadlines to meet, new ways to improve. Over the last few years, the biggest thing I’ve gained is confidence. Confidence in understanding how the pieces fit together. Confidence in anticipating problems before they show up. Confidence in troubleshooting when they inevitably do. Confidence in building solutions that make the next challenge a little easier.

Instead of feeling intimidated, I now feel proud.

Proud that ten years in, I’m still learning. Proud that I’m no longer the person who stumbled into an unfamiliar industry hoping to keep up. Proud that I understand the landscape, see the bigger picture, and know how to help others navigate it too. Proud that I don’t just have a job — I have a career.

Careers aren’t built in straight lines. They’re built in moments — small wins, hard lessons, unexpected opportunities, and the people who help shape us along the way.

And I’m grateful for every one of those moments.

“It’s all about quality of life and finding a happy balance between work and friends and family.”

— Philip Green