Building On Bedrock
- Post By: Greg Crumpton
- Date:
- Category: Blog
- Tags: airtight, AirTight Facilitech, greg crumpton, personal development
Wow!
That was my first thought on Friday, December 10, 2014 as I was honored to take part in a private tour of the September 11 Museum at Ground Zero in New York.
Being fortunate enough to work for a man that has an incredible desire to treat people well allowed me and several of my industry colleagues the opportunity of a lifetime at the museum.
We were treated to a “Before the Museum Opens” early morning tour. Looking at the artifacts, the remnants and the now historical elements of that infamous day blew me away.
I am a Patriot to the deepest level. Many of my ancestors, including my father and both grandfathers served our military. Heck, I was even born on the 4th of July! But in lower Manhattan, on a beautiful, clear and cool morning, I experienced a different kind of patriotism, one that left me humbled and reflective.
As I was walking through the museum; looking, listening and being very, very present, I had a thought about what the site was built upon, the bedrock of Manhattan. You can see what I am referring to in the photo to the left.
Yes, way down deep below the dirt and mud of the surface of the earth lies a very solid foundation that all buildings are anchored to. This is what gives the structures the strength to withstand the ocean blown winds, the nor’-easters that roll through and yes, even cowardly acts of terrorists. These solid chunks of monolithic granite are what allow these icons of the Big Apple, and every other big city, to stand tall and stand proud.
Whether you are building from scratch, like way back in late 1960’s when the original World Trade Center towers were first constructed, or rising like the Phoenix, having to rebuild from the ruins as the recently completed Freedom Tower was, you have to know the foundation that you are building upon.
Solid. Resilient. Secure. Strong. Substantial. These words are what bedrock is all about. These are the qualities that make it the best choice for a foundation.
Now, examine your own life. What are you building on?
We can’t guide or be guided, coach or be coached, lead or be lead if in fact we are working within a marsh. Unstable platforms bow, wither and disintegrate under pressure when anchored into a quagmire of silt, sand and thatch.
It’s simple, fast and cheap to take the easy route. Just lay some gravel down over the mud trail and call it a substantial path and get on your way. Yet over time, after many feet walk the path, it’s right back to being a muddy bog.
Commit to doing the hard work. Dig out the slag and lay down a good base. Mentally, this equates to reading, learning, writing and listening.
It’s not easy, especially when you are working, tending to sick kids, acclimating to a new boss or whatever it is that increases the demands on your time and resources. But yet, if you do not take the time and invest in solid foundations, you’ll find yourself losing your footing again and again.
Flash back now to the Freedom Tower and the other 6 buildings being reconstructed on the World Trade Center campus. The bedrock is intact and they are standing again.
As so will we all, no matter what comes our way to knock us down, as long as we anchor ourselves to bedrock. Dig deep and build your foundation even stronger in 2015.
