There were a few more problems during the process, but nothing major. Work stalled for a couple days when the delivery of the kitchen cabinets was delayed. The tile installers had a scheduling conflict and Eric had to find someone else to install the bathroom tile and kitchen backsplash. (A damaged kitchen countertop had to be reordered, too.) But these were all things that Eric had taken into account when estimating the completion date. The building of a house took a coordinated effort, and it wasn't unusual for there to be an occasional or even unavoidable delay.

For the most part, Eric took it in stride. Whenever there was any issue, no matter how small, he communicated with his clients and kept them informed. He then recalculated the completion date and did whatever he could to make sure they stayed one step ahead of the game, if possible.

And it paid off—the house was built on schedule and within budget. The homeowners were more than satisfied with the end result. In the final walkthrough, they commented frequently on the attention to even the most minor detail and admired the quality and craftsmanship. It was precisely what they wanted and everything they had hoped this, their last home, would be. Not only did they say they were happy with the finished product, but they thanked Eric for making the process as painless as possible. He had kept them up to date with the status along the way and had consulted with them often when changes were necessary or decisions needed to be made.

Shortly before the house was completed, Eric received a card from Carl that included another token, Learn and Grow. This one was easy for Eric—it had been a learning process, and he had encountered obstacles while building the house but felt he had handled them well. And he was quick to share this with the older gentleman.

“It was a learning process, for sure. I also learned a lot about handling challenges and setbacks. Every time we were able to overcome them, work through the problem, and find a way to stay on track,” he replied in an email.

“Very good then, but remember, too, that challenges can come in different shapes and sizes. They can be anticipated, or they can be unexpected and come out of nowhere. Unfortunately, Eric, obstacles don't just present themselves when you're in the learning stage—they happen to veteran business owners, too. It doesn't matter how much experience or money you have—it seems obstacles are nondiscriminatory. It's not the size of the obstacle that matters, but how you respond to it. It's all part of a hands‐on education that cannot be taught in business or trade school. Having the desire and ability to admit that you need to learn more will one day be the measure of your success, mark my words,” Carl wrote.

Their communications were less frequent after that. Carl indicated that he and his wife had plans to travel and enjoy their free time, but he promised to stay in touch. And from time to time, he did. Sometimes, he included a new token; most of the time, he did not. Eric received a postcard from Alaska and another from Paris, both wishing him well. Someday, Eric thought, he'd be in a position to enjoy the fruits of his labor, too.

The tokens he did receive came with no explanation, sometimes not even a note.

One was engraved with the words Be Creative. Another simply said Initiative. Eric understood both of those principles and didn't think they required a significant amount of contemplation, so he tossed them in the box where he kept all the wooden tokens he'd received from Carl.

There were two tokens, however, that weren't quite clear to Eric. The first he received in an envelope with a short note that said, “This one may be more important today than in the past. If you ignore it, it can erase everything you've created.” Taking it out of the envelope, Eric turned the token over to find the words, Tolerance and Understanding. The other token came a month later and said Profit by Failure.

Well, I hope I never need that one, Eric thought.

Thus far, he hadn't. Business had been steady since he built that first home. He hadn't had to put feelers out, letting people know he was looking for work. As a matter of fact, work had been so steady that he'd had to turn away a couple of smaller jobs. A real estate developer had even been in contact with him about building a row of townhouses—a project Eric was more than enthusiastic about.

To Eric's delight and surprise, he was awarded the general contractor position on the townhouses. It was a major boost for him, one that would take his business to a whole new level. But it came with obstacles. For one thing, multifamily housing had different requirements and building codes that he had to learn and constantly refer to. In addition, the real estate developer who owned the land seemed to be meeting constantly with city officials about easements, ingress and egress requirements, underground utilities, and a variety of other building issues that related to developing virgin property.

Eric had a full‐time crew and regular subcontractors to provide expertise in every aspect of the process. He had enough help that he was able to serve as general contractor without having to sling a hammer. This was new for him, but so was the learning curve as he got a firsthand education about property development.

Max, the developer, had a generous amount of patience. He knew that Eric didn't have any experience with the intricacies of property development or multifamily housing, but he was willing to take the time to teach him. Having a capable general contractor who was willing to learn how to do things the right way and according to regulations was beneficial to him. Besides, he really liked Eric and admired his work ethic and commitment. He was happy to teach Eric what he didn't know, but there were certain qualities that couldn't be taught. You either had them or you didn't. He was glad Eric had them.

Eric had forgotten what it was like to start from scratch, having to learn something new each and every day. Sometimes it was mind boggling, but at the same time, it was energizing. It was rewarding to know that he was expanding not only his knowledge, but also his experience and abilities.

The steady work came with a downside, however. Eric found that he just didn't have the time to complete his cabin renovation. Every night when he walked in the door he promised himself that he'd get back to the renovations over the weekend, but he often found himself on the job site when Saturday morning rolled around. Reminding himself that the cabin could wait, he put it on the backburner. He knew his priorities.

After they broke ground on the fourth townhouse, Max asked him to accompany him to look at another parcel of land. This one was quite different from the wide open plain they'd been building on. Also undeveloped, it consisted of acres of wooded land.

“This land would require a totally different style of development, Eric,” Max advised. “Rows of modern townhouses or apartment buildings would be out of place here. Besides, it's too far out from the main hub of the city to appeal to apartment dwellers. Take a look around and let me know your thoughts.”

Looking around at the undisturbed land, Eric's thoughts immediately went to his cabin. Suddenly, he could see rural single‐family housing, large one‐acre lots with established trees, big porches, and ample windows from which to admire the view. One area specifically looked like the perfect central location to house a neighborhood park.

“Max, when I look at this land, I see upscale family housing. Imagine something with more of a country feel, maybe even slightly rustic. Something like large log cabins with great rooms, lofts, and big porches. Don't misunderstand—I'm thinking of impressive residences, not primitive log cabins. The natural beauty of the cabins would fit well into the scenery and be enhanced by the beauty and shade of these beautiful trees,” he said.

“Yes! I can see it—large log cabin homes for the suburban upper middle‐class family that wants to get away from the hustle and bustle. I can even see a couple of kids and a dog on those front porches,” Max said excitedly.

“You know, I knew this land appealed to me, but I couldn't picture what to do with it. It's out of my expertise, but I'm willing to try something new. So what do you say—are you ready to take the next step? Want to become a partner with me on this development and take it under your wing? I would make the financial investment, while you undertook the design and development. Sound good?”

Max was smiling, anticipating Eric's response, but Eric was struggling not to show his initial terror at being responsible for something so big. All of his old fears came to the surface, and he was bombarded with “What‐ifs.” What if he screwed this up? What if he wasn't ready to assume so much responsibility?

Still, he knew it was a once‐in‐a‐lifetime opportunity, and he'd be crazy to pass it up. Then he reminded himself that it was precisely what he'd always wanted—to be a prominent builder who was involved in major developments. He just hadn't been prepared for it to really happen. But here it was…and Max was still waiting for an answer.

“Are you sure, Max? That's a lot of responsibility; maybe you want someone more experienced,” Eric replied.

“I don't make decisions or offers on a whim, Eric. I respect your initiative and your desire to learn. Those are admirable qualities. I have the utmost faith in you—I knew I wanted you to see this land because it was out of my ‘norm.’ I thought it was an opportunity for us to work together in some capacity at a different level. It wasn't until we got here that I knew what that would entail. I know that doing something new can be uncomfortable sometimes, but this type of development would be new to both of us. We can learn together.”

“Well, then, I'm in. You've made me an offer I can't refuse, and I want you to know I appreciate it. I hope I don't let you down,” Eric said.

“You won't, partner. I believe in you. You're ready,” Max smiled and shook Eric's hand.

It was a deal…and Eric immediately remembered who he really had to thank: Carl. Carl had taken him under his wing and offered him the advice that came from experience. Carl, who had been his grandfather's friend, Carl who had believed in him and opened up a vault of wisdom from an elite group of multimillionaires.

He knew he wouldn't be where he was today if it weren't for the kindness and generosity of his friend, Carl. That night, he sat down at the computer and wrote him an appreciative email.