Have some gratitude
There is a lot of research that shows that when you are grateful, you are happier. I firmly believe this, and it applies to everyone, not just consultants.
Small things
- Current project has a nice conference room. Nice and sunny, private, air-conditioned well, easy access to key clients – but far enough to get our work done.
- Current project is driving distance. It still requires hotels, but leaving the house at 9am is WAY better than leaving the house at 4:30am to catch a 6:45am flight.
- Working on Friday afternoon on my colleague’s patio. Blue blue sky, red maple.
- Newer consultants getting better, slowly.
- Friend’s hard-drive crashes, but all the data was backed up
- Shrimp and grits at the client’s cafeteria.
- Boss reviews .ppt needed for next day, and it is 90% correct, first time around.
- You have friends at work you can laugh with, even though projects are off-the-rails busy. Stop mid conversation to ask, “besides work, how’s everything else?”
- Ordering Dominos to hotel room at 12:15am. College style.
- Krispy Kreme for breakfast with the paper, before the client site
- Playing tennis after work, before dinner, and before more client work at hotel
Big things
- Got a wager with a work colleague to exercise. Every marginal day the other person does not exercise is $5. Good to have friends who motivate you.
- My wife said she was proud of me the other day. Big, big props.
- High-drama people who are not on your project.
- Client wants you to stick around longer, add-on work.
- My boss continues to trust me with more work (uh, wait a minute). . . .