There Are No Guarantees
By Jim Steg | Steg Custom Homes

We spend so much of our lives chasing the next thing.

The next project.
The next deal.
The next milestone in the business.
The next year, where maybe—just maybe—we’ll finally slow down.

But let me tell you something from the other side of that chase:
There are no guarantees.

The Moments We Miss

Remember when we didn’t have time to put our phones down when the family came over?
Remember when we were too busy to sit on the floor and play with our grandkids?
Too busy to go fishing with dad?
Too busy growing our businesses to take that vacation with the family?

We tell ourselves we’ll do it next time. That we’re building for the future.
Then the kids are grown.
The grandkids are grown.
The house is quiet. And we look around, wondering where everyone went.

Here’s the truth:
No one knows who we are anymore.
Because we were never really there.

My Wake-Up Call (Actually, Two of Them)

For me, it took more than just reflection.
It took trauma. Twice.

The first was a head-on collision at 80 mph. I walked away—but not without a titanium plate in the left side of my face to keep it all together.

The second was in 2019. I was in the best shape of my life—strong, healthy, feeling unstoppable. Until my heart decided otherwise. The heart attack hit hard. And this time, so did reality.

I didn’t need a third warning.
Two was enough.

Time Is Not on Your Side

You don’t get to hit rewind.
You don’t get a do-over.
You don’t get to go back and fish with dad when he’s gone.

We fool ourselves into thinking we’re in control. That we’re building a better life by sacrificing the one we’re already living.

But what good is success if it costs you everything that matters?

Spend the Time Where It Matters

Life isn’t about square footage, status, or the size of your portfolio.
It’s about presence.
It’s about relationships.
It’s about making sure the people you love know it—because you show up for them, not just when it's convenient, but when it counts.

So reflect.
Look at where you are, where you’re headed, and what it’s costing you to get there.
Ask yourself: What am I trading my time for?

Because once it’s gone, it’s gone.
And I’ll say it again, because you need to hear it:
Tomorrow is not guaranteed.

Final Word

We build homes for families who are chasing a dream lifestyle. But the dream isn’t in the home—it’s in the life lived inside it.

If you remember anything from this, let it be this:
The people you love don’t need more of what you can buy—they need more of you.

Don’t wait for a tragedy to wake you up.
Don’t give fate a third shot at teaching you what really matters.
You already know. Now live like it.

— Jim Steg
Steg Custom Homes | Sedona, AZ