Fresh out of college, I was buried in student debt, suiting up for my first corporate job, and writing Java like my life depended on it. But it didn’t take long to realize that what really mattered to leadership wasn’t code.
It was Six Sigma.
Every executive talked about it. US Airways magazines hyped it. GE was the gold standard, and everyone wanted a slice of that efficiency pie.
So I did what any ambitious 20-something would do.
I applied for internal Six Sigma training.
And I was denied.
Why I Chose to Invest in Myself
They said Six Sigma was only for managers. I wasn’t even close.
I offered to volunteer. Still no.
So I did what any Lean thinker might appreciate: I found another way.
I spent my entire first corporate bonus on a Green Belt course at a local community college. At the same time, I was:
- Working full-time
- Tackling grad school at night
- Managing five figures of student debt
No handouts. No company reimbursement. Just grit.
I wasn’t even allowed to do a Six Sigma project in the company. I had to run it on a side business I had created.
This is probably why I love Dwayne Johnson’s character in Ballers. Spencer Strasmore didn’t wait for permission either. He bet on himself again and again from leaving a stable gig to start his own firm, risking everything for the chance to shape his own future. And he wasn’t alone in the show. Ricky Jerret, Vernon, Reggie, Charles Green, even the always-strategic Andre Allen all had to make hard choices, investing in themselves when the odds weren’t in their favor.
And it’s not just fiction.
- Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson bet on himself when he left the CFL with only $7 in his pocket. Later, he walked away from a massively successful WWE career while at the top to start over in Hollywood, where many doubted his versatility.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger faced ridicule in rural Austria for his bodybuilding ambitions, then took on the American business world as an immigrant with broken English, then Hollywood where few believed he could lead, and later politics where he had no experience. Each pivot came with real economic pressure to stay put but he did it anyway and suceeded.
- Chris Gardner slept in subway bathrooms while caring for his toddler son. He declined safer options to pursue an unpaid stockbroker internship, betting on a better future. His story became another one of my favorites, The Pursuit of Happyness. (intentional misspelling)
- Daymond John worked at Red Lobster by night while sewing hats and shirts by day. He mortgaged his home and risked his mom’s savings to scale FUBU without any guarantee it would succeed.
- Sophia Amoruso could’ve kept playing it safe with stable jobs, but instead at 22, she launched Nasty Gal Vintage on eBay with no capital, no network, and no safety net. She walked away from the predictable path to create a fast‑fashion brand and later founded Girlboss Media
- Mark Cuban was fired from a software sales job for closing a deal without permission. Rather than return to the job market, he launched MicroSolutions and lived off canned food. That risk became the foundation of his billionaire future.
- Fred Smith of FedEx literally gambled the company’s last $5,000 in Las Vegas to pay a fuel bill when banks turned him down. That bet saved the business.
- Sir Richard Branson launched Virgin Records from a church loft. And when branching into airlines with Virgin Atlantic, had no experience. He even mortgaged his music business to fund operations early on. Most savvy investors would have balked at his approach.
- Jason McCarthy. A former Army Green Beret, McCarthy left a stable military career to build GORUCK, a brand based on rucking gear and (my personal favorite) community. He bet on an obscure niche with no guarantees and gambled his credibility building bridges between veterans and civilians, and helping tens of thousands along the way.
- Codie Sanchez walked away from the safety of an investment career and secure income to build support and educational platforms like Contrarian Thinking. She emphasizes that most people don’t wager on themselves because they avoid failure.
Why These Stories Matter
Each person turned away from a comfortable path, be it financial stability, a prestigious job, or social approval to back their own vision. The safer route was tempting. The uncertain path was where meaningful change began.
What Happened After Earning My Green Belt
Immediately – Absolutely nothing.
No raise. No promotion. No Six Sigma projects. Not for five years.
But here’s the thing about Green Belt certification benefits: they don’t always show up on your next paycheck. Sometimes they show up in how you think.
- I started seeing systems where others saw chaos
- I solved problems at the root cause level instead of just applying tactical band-aids
- I made decisions with data, not opinions
Eventually, that mindset shift opened doors. I was promoted. I made a lateral move to a different kind of role. And one day, a position opened leading continuous improvement for a subdivision with over 600 people. I landed a job two levels above what I thought was possible! (I was told the deciding factor between me and more tenured personnel was my agency in getting the certification.)
The hard work there won awards, which opened another door. Then another. And another.
None of it would have been possible without that bet on myself.
The Long Game of Self-Investment
I recently spoke with someone whose company cut back on education reimbursement. They were hesitant to pay for their own certification.
My advice?
If you’re not willing to bet on yourself, why should anyone else?
Green Belt training isn’t just a line on your resume. It’s a new lens on the world. It teaches you how to:
- Streamline work
- Lead change
- Solve problems that matter
And it gives you the confidence to walk into any room and add value.
Just like in Ballers, the characters who took control of their narrative—who invested in their growth—were the ones who came out on top. Not always immediately. Not always painlessly. But always on their own terms.
Ready to Make the Leap?
If you’re on the fence about earning your Green Belt, ask yourself:
- What would change if you started solving problems like a pro?
- Where could your career go if you led with data and impact?
You don’t need permission. You just need to start.
When you’re ready, there are a few ways I can help:
First, join 30,000+ other Six Sigma professionals by subscribing to my email newsletter. A short read every Monday to start your work week off correctly. Always free.
—
If you’re looking to pass your Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt exams, I’d recommend starting with my affordable study guide:
1)→ 🟢Pass Your Six Sigma Green Belt
2)→ ⚫Pass Your Six Sigma Black Belt
You’ve spent so much effort learning Lean Six Sigma. Why leave passing your certification exam up to chance? This comprehensive study guide offers 1,000+ exam-like questions for Green Belts (2,000+ for Black Belts) with full answer walkthroughs, access to instructors, detailed study material, and more.