From Homeless to Nuclear Submarine

“You know, I didn’t always think I would have a successful career. I have a lot of sympathy for bums, because once upon a time I was one.” Kevin looked down at his coffee. 

I hadn’t seen this side of Kevin before. He seemed almost…insecure. He was CEO of his city’s second largest organization and well decorated throughout his life.

“I lived in my car in a public garage for part of my 20’s. I remember thinking, ‘I need to get my life together’. That’s when I joined the military.”

I could feel the pride he carried in that decision he made decades earlier.

“I had decided I wanted to be on a nuclear submarine. But there was a problem. I had to go back to school, and I was always terrible at school. I remember taking a trigonometry class and working my ass off. I was the only one who passed the class.”

At this point in the interview, he was back to his confident self.

“The discipline on that nuclear submarine was unwavering. I learned my limits and learned to lead in close, very close, proximity. This was a turning point in my life.”

As he shared this, I couldn’t help but think, “I think your turning point was while you were homeless.”

To this day, Kevin is well-respected across the nation in his industry and is a pillar to his city. He has changed many people’s lives and has added to this world far more than he has taken. I have great respect for him.

His story does nag at me, though. I’ve interviewed many people who were once (or still are) homeless. Most don’t find high levels of success afterwards. Why was Kevin different? Was it chance? Was it a choice? Was it his genetic makeup? 

I lean towards believing in the power of choices. These choices are driven by our internal world. I think somewhere deep inside of Kevin, he believed he was meant for more than living in a garage. 

That begs the question… what do I believe deep down?