Page 2 Module 2- Career
I Want to Be A Rich Man
With grateful thanks to Thomas F. Costello on whose presentation this section is based.
I can really relate to the lyrics of the song, “If I Were a Rich Man.” “If I were a wealthy man.” They’re what brought me into this business. They danced around in my head. They were kind of like a carrot in front of my nose – work a little harder, work a little longer, work a little smarter and become a rich man. It’s been the fire in my belly, the spur, the whip – get rich, famous, be number one, then I’ll call the shots. I’ll be free. That’s what I wanted and worked for, and that’s what I got.
But the higher I got up on the roof the harder it was to keep on dancing. It was such a long way down and the fire in my belly started to eat at me, but it was what I wanted and I worked hard for it.
When I was a kid, knew very little about money and how to make a living. The last thing in my world that symbolized money and wealth was the salesman who came knocking on the door every week.
But football, cricket, rugby, now that was another matter. That’s where the money was. It was right there before my eyes every day on television, in the papers, in the movies; and, if you were a 1,9 m kid and you weighed 90 kgs, football was within the realm of possibility. It was within the scope of my expectations.
In high school I made the football team, and from that I had a number of athletic scholarships for university. I attended University on a scholarship and at the end of the year as we were all preparing to leave for home, the coach called me in. He said, “Tom, we don’t think you’re capable of playing in this football program and we’re going to have to drop your scholarship.” It was my first major experience with rejection.
This is the acid test of how you deal with rejection…by NOT giving up. Get back on the ladder and start climbing again.
So I left that university and was fortunate enough to get another scholarship at another university.
In my senior year a new coach came in and he did what a lot of new coaches do; he benched the seniors. The coach called me in and said, “Tom, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that we’re building a great team
this year and the bad news is that we’re not gonna be able to pick you for our games.” I said, “Coach, all my life I’ve dreamed about playing football and I’m never going to have an opportunity to get drafted if you don’t give me a chance to play.”
He said, “I’m sorry. It’s a decision the coaching staff has made.”
And with those words all my dreams, all my expectations seemed to disappear. I’d never make it now. I’d never ever get to the top of the roof, never mind dancing on it! I was so dejected and so depressed that during the games, I would hide as I didn’t want anyone to know I wasn’t playing with the team.
I graduated and as I was driving away from the campus I passed the field house. I passed the coach’s office and gave it one last try. I said, “Coach, I’m going back home. I have
one favour before I leave, would you please write a letter for me?”
He said, “Tom, you’ve always worked hard, you’ve been one heck of a good kid. I’ve heard you want to go to dental school, I have no problem recommending you.”
I said, “Coach, I’ve applied to dental school already. I’d like you to write a letter of recommendation for me regarding my football skills as I wish to apply to join a professional team that is starting in my home city.” You know, that was the first time in my life that I really understood the value of a recommendation. “I’d like you to write a letter asking them if I could get a tryout.”
He said, “Tom, you know you didn’t play your last year here. You didn’t
even make the squad.” But, I was very persistent. This was my first big obstacle. I said, “Coach, please! Just write a letter and ask them if they will give me a tryout.” He said, “Well, I do know one of the backfield coaches and one of the coaches on the staff. Okay, I’ll write the letter.” It was a start! Maybe I was on my way up to the top of the roof after all.
I came back home. I waited about two weeks and I still had not heard anything so I gave them a call. I said, “My name is Tom Costello and I’m just calling to find out when I’m supposed to report for training camp.” He said, “Tom, your name doesn’t ring a bell, but I’ll check the list and I’ll get right back to you.” Well, about a week later I received a letter in the mail and it said, “Training camp is closed. Try again next year.” Next year! Now I really understood first-hand what rejection was all about.
That very next day, my high school coach was walking down the streets and bumped into Harry Wright who had just been appointed backfield coach for another leading team. He had also been an assistant university coach and had tried to recruit me when I was in high school. The conversation went something like this. “Harry, you re-member the kid, Tom Costello, that I coached at High School.” Wright said, “I sure do! He’s a great kid!” “Well, he just graduated from University, Harry, and he’s 95 kgs now and tougher than ever.”
And then he said, “As a matter of fact, Harry, he’s talking to another team.”
Well, that night I was at home eating dinner with my mom and the phone rang. Who’s on the phone but Harry Wright and the phone conversation went something like this, “Tom, it’s Harry Wright, do you remember me?” I said, “I sure do, coach.” He said, “Well, now I’m the backfield coach for one of the leading teams in the league. I want to talk to you about something, Tom. I hear that you have been talking to other teams.” I said, “Yes I have.” He said, “Do you think you could find time tomorrow to come over and talk to our head-coach. I said “Well Harry, let me check my calendar, hold on a minute.” (I didn’t want to sound anxious.)
When I arrived, I was shown into the head coach’s office. For a half hour I told him all about my dreams, all about my expectations. He said, “You know kid, I like what you’re saying.” He took me out of his office down to the other end of the hallway into the office of the team’s owner.
I went through the same scenario and then he opened up the bottom drawer of his desk, took out a contract, filled it out and asked me to sign it. He said, “In a week you’ll report to training camp.” Two and a half months later I scored a goal in front of 68,000 people!
The interesting part of that story is that the team expected me to be a university football star based on my high school reputation. But not all the expectations in the world could prepare me for my first game in the big league.
We went onto the field and as I took up my position I realised that I was facing the most successful and talented player in the opposition. I realised that this was going to be a mammoth encounter, as indeed it turned out to be. After this encounter I suffered major injuries which eventually spelled out the end of my football career thus forcing me to look for a new career.
Not knowing what to do with my life and career I spent the next few months investigating possible opportunities. One day I met a man who had a compelling story to tell about the Financial Services industry which offered many opportunities to grow my skills in dealing with money and the creation of wealth. I decided to give this industry a go.
After ten years in the industry I thought I had it made. I thought I had achieved my Big Dream. I had a house, a car, a wife and children at good schools, and was able to provide for them comfortably without financial stress. I was on my way. I was up on the
roof and on my way to becoming a rich man and achieving my goals and objectives of financial security.
Here I was, where I’d always dreamed of going, however something in my life was missing and I was so focused on achieving my goals of material things that I had lost sight of those around me on this journey and the result was my taking a serious look at who I had become in this quest to make money.
What was missing was luckily quickly identified as love, happiness, faith – all were missing from my life as I had delegated them all as less important to me in being a successful person in my chosen career.
Having acknowledged these foundation faults in my ‘building’, my life once again had to undergo a major restructuring to rebuild the bridges to my family and those around me who had helped me on the road to success, and got my personal act in order so that my life priorities were rebalanced with achievable goals and objectives which in turn would provide satisfaction and fulfilment of my dreams.
Take the opportunity regularly in your life to review the following:-
Who am I?
Where am I on the journey of life?
Remind yourself why you are doing what you do.
Where am I going and why?
Set a timeline to measure yourself by.
We’re all going to have our disappointments in life, but we’re going to have our celebrations, too. Every day is a celebration; to share the “wealth” in our lives: the love, the sharing, the caring, the coming together to celebrate and to thank God for each other – that’s what makes our lives rich.