2nd December 2025
I recently developed an interest in skyscrapers.
Ever since the first skyscraper was built in Chicago in 1885, the world has been fascinated with the concept of piercing the skies, daring to go higher and higher and conceiving wondrous structures, forms and technologies to achieve this.
Skyscrapers have always been a symbol of power. Perhaps that was the first obvious psychological effect of these gigantic structures – they have always been associated with money, power and larger-than-life worldviews.
Rulers and the citizens at times need something to feel proud about, something higher to aspire to, something physical, tangible and real.
The Empire State Building was completed in the midst of the darkest days of the Great Depression, when the eternal buoyancy of American optimism seemed at its lowest. It was then that the foundations were dug, and in record time. The Empire State Building went up in just 410 days, a feat unthinkable in modern times.
Dubai’s Burj al Khalifa is also one such example.
As I spent time reading about them, I started to appreciate that the building of a skyscraper has a lot of parallels to the building of life – Let’s call it the Skyscraper Mentality.
The Skyscraper Mentality has two core principles:
Deep, Strong Foundation:
You cannot build something magnificent on top of a weak, flimsy foundation.
Before building up, you have to build down.
The most famous skyscrapers have a foundation that extends well over 100 feet below the surface. This investment in the robust foundation is what provides the strength to the entire structure.
Adaptability: Skyscrapers are built with a degree of flexibility in the structure, so they are actually able to bend and sway with the wind (often several feet in either direction, like a tree). This adaptability is critical, as a stiff, rigid structure would be prone to snap.
These two principles also apply directly to our career and life:
In the early years, we must focus on the foundation.
Invest your time to build the knowledge, skills, networks, experience, and money that form a strong, sturdy, stable base. Continue to make the simple daily investments in this foundation throughout your life. Make the necessary minor repairs along the way to ensure that it remains strong for years to come.
As you progress, we focus on adaptability.
This means preparation, rather than planning.
Are the skills, income streams, or businesses we are building useful in a variety of situations and market conditions?
How might we prepare to benefit from chaos that inevitably comes?
In the weeks ahead, Let’s think about the Skyscraper Mentality:
Build something strong and adaptable capable of enduring whatever chaos life brings our way & stay blessed forever.