Story 4: Two Paths to the Same Lesson

This is the story of two men I’ve known—one who lived for baseball, and one who was exceptional with numbers. Both were talented. Both were dedicated. And for many years, both were unsatisfied.

The Minor Leagues

Bob was a natural from the beginning. He dominated little league, excelled in high school, earned a full college scholarship, set the school batting record, and was drafted into professional baseball. But that was the end of the ascent.

Passion wasn’t the problem. Bob lived and breathed the game. He simply hit the hard truth at the top of every pyramid: as you move up, the required competence rises faster than most people can match. His passion alone wasn’t enough to reach the majors.

The Accountant

Anthony had the opposite issue. Numbers came easily to him. He was competent—extremely competent—and his employer rewarded him for it. Day after day, he produced flawless work.

But competence without challenge is its own trap. Anthony wasn’t struggling; he was bored. He had mastery, but no spark. No curiosity. No excitement. His job was an endless grind of predictable problems and predictable answers.

The Turnaround

Bob’s dream of Major League Baseball ended, but his connection to the sport didn’t. He found an opportunity to play overseas, where he met his wife. After a few seasons abroad he became the league's MVP. He eventually returned home and discovered coaching. It was the perfect fit—his passion remained intact, and his competence grew to meet it. By building skills outside the batter’s box—communication, leadership, teaching—he carved out a life in the game he loved.

Anthony took the opposite path. Instead of leaving his skill set, he expanded it. He joined the U.S. Department of Justice as a forensic accountant tasked with investigating money laundering. Suddenly the work had stakes. Intrigue. Purpose. His competence met a challenge big enough to ignite passion.

The Process

Both men realized something essential: success demands working on yourself, not just working your job.

Bob had passion but lacked the top-tier competence needed to go further as a major league player. So he upgraded his skills—coaching methods, communication, leadership—until competence finally matched passion.

Anthony had competence but no passion for his current position. So he added skills that opened new doors—firearms training, language proficiency, investigative techniques—until he found a role worth caring about.

The Point

Most people grind away at their jobs, hoping things will improve. They rarely stop to ask whether they’re improving.

Bob and Anthony took opposite routes, but arrived at the same truth:

If you want a better life, you have to build a better you.