Life isn’t about waiting for the perfect moment.
It’s about making moments perfect through your own damn effort.
I just got accepted into IBEW Local 98, and let me tell you, this wasn’t some overnight success story.
This was a long, slow process that tested my patience and resilience, like an ultra marathon.
The journey that separates those who make excuses vs those who actually do something.
The Slow Burn of Becoming Something
Most people quit before they even start. They see a challenging path and start to imagine all the ways they’ll fail.
“I can’t smoke weed”
“It’s too long of a process”
“only 0.5% of people get in”
This acceptance into the electricians’ union isn’t just a job. It’s a commitment to becoming something more.
The application process was like navigating a bureaucratic maze designed to weed out the weak.
Preparing paperwork, months of not hearing back, testing, interviewing, and more waiting.
Each step a potential landmine where most sabotage their own effort, or even say, “Fuck it” and walked away.
I tinkered close on both edges.
Knowing why I wanted this opportunity really helped: to build a better future for my family and myself.
Your Attitude is Your Actual Currency
Here’s the real truth: knowledge is only potential power, it’s what you do with what you know.
Nobody cares about your potential. They care about what you actually deliver.
My strategy? A relentless positive attitude. Not the fake, Instagram-motivational-poster kind of positivity. I’m talking about the gritty, determined mindset that says, “I’ll learn, I’ll improve, I’ll contribute” every single day.
“Giving my best all the time with a positive attitude”
In the trades, I believe your attitude is everything.
Because skills can be taught.
While work ethic is a choice.
The Real Work Starts Now
Getting accepted is just the beginning.
This isn’t about arrival; it’s about constant improvement.
The journey is the damn destination.
Every day is an opportunity to prove why I deserve to be here.
To show that I’m not just filling a slot, but actively trying to elevate the entire craft.
IBEW Local 98 isn’t just giving me a chance. I’m giving myself a chance—to grow, to build, to create something meaningful with my hands and my mind.
Bring it on.
Joe DiAndrea 