There’s a point in every man’s life when he has to decide what matters most...not in theory…but in action.

My moment came during COVID...like most people, everything was upside down…uncertain…messy...

But in that chaos…I found clarity.

I was at home...working...praying...thinking...

Watching my kids be kids...

And it hit me…this is the good stuff...

Then the call came...a job offer...strong compensation...title...prestige...travel...

Most people dream of that moment...I used to all the time...and had this been 2 or 3 years earlier, I would have been popping champagne bottles...

But when it arrived…something felt off...

I sat with it...I imagined airports…hotels…empty dinners…missing games/performances…missing mornings by the pond…and suddenly the “dream job” felt more like a trade I couldn’t afford.

I realized the salary looked good on paper, but the cost was too high

When you lose presence…you lose everything.

So I said no...not because the job was wrong...but because it was wrong for my life...wrong for my mission...wrong for the roots I was building...

Roots are not flashy...they are quiet...hidden...slow...but they make everything possible.

Strong roots hold you steady when life shakes you...they keep you from chasing things that look shiny but feel empty...they give you clarity when everyone else is running in circles...

For me…those roots are simple...my wife, my kids, my faith, my health, my work…done with integrity...

That decision opened my eyes.

Success is not more...success is aligned...

Aligned with your values...aligned with your priorities...aligned with who you are becoming...

The world tells you to climb...but sometimes growth looks like stillness...sometimes the boldest move is staying home...so you can raise strong children… build strong marriage… be a present man...

I think about that often...I could have said yes but I chose presence...

And every time I sit at my pond…watch my kids laugh…talk with my wife about dreams and fears…I know
I chose right...

Strong roots...strong life...strong legacy.

That’s the work.

By Chris Errington