Because.

I am asked to speak internationally at conferences

because...

I invented a tool called Compass

because...

I used Sass and work at Caring.com

because...

they hired me to be their software architect and convinced me to try ruby

because...

one of the founders is best friends with man who married a woman who is best friends with my wife who met me

because...

She friend-zoned my friend of a friend who met me

because...

I came to work at a bay area start up that I found out about at the Caltech career fair

because...

I got accepted to Caltech

because...

my junior college instructor told me I couldn't get accepted to Caltech

because...

No one gets accepted to transfer to Caltech. But that didn't stop me; I studied my ass off for the entrance exams

because...

I had nothing to lose

because...

I was in junior college

because...

I had a go no-where job at a hole-in-the-wall pizza place and the assistant manager told me I would never amount to anything.

So if you're passing through Visalia, CA and you pass Boston Pizza, stop in and tell the assistant manager "Thank you!" I'm pretty sure she's still there.

Hat tip to Jason Fried.