Derek Sivers is an philosopher-entrepreneur I respect a lot. He has a model, Hell yea, or no for decision-making. That is a pretty good model I believe for most cases.
In case of jobs (or engagement, since I'm a consultant mostly), I look for jobs that are challenging but doable. It will help me grow without breaking me. This is a fine line so I have failed few times and signed up for wrong jobs, but mostly I have enjoyed the jobs I have taken in the last 20 years.
I don't mean "with no pain", but "not breaking me".
I can give you an example that I cherish. One time, I went on an onshore engagement to a large Canadian bank to gather requirements for building a project dashboard for their CIO. The dashboard had to pull data from multiple applications. I had earlier built a similar dashboard, hence I had needed skills.
But the employees of this bank mistook that I am there to take their jobs offshore, so none of them co-operated with me to talk about their respective applications. I tried most of the methods I knew, but I was a failure. I had no progress to show even after one and half month. CIO was angry and the project was going to be terminated if I didn't show any progress. That day when this was announced, I sat in the hotel-bed and cried. I was puzzled, didn't know what to do other than return back empty handed. I said a small prayer and went to bed.
Few days later the whole situation changed. In the next 2 months, I gathered all the requirements and both management were happy. But that is not the part that I enjoy. The whole team sponsored a lunch for me and got me a ticket to a basketball game. All their own money, not from the company.
Now tell me, isn't that wonderful? Want to know how the turn-around happened?
There was a French-Canadian in the team who was the key player in the team. I was told if I gain his acceptance I would get the project in shape. But he hated talking to me. He took all steps to avoid me. But, few days after I wept in my hotel, I went to him as a last chance. I cornered him and started with 'Xavier, I need ....', But I pronounced his name in French and not in English. He didn't expect that. He got up from his seat and told loudly, "guys, I have been working with you for a decade. Nobody pronounced my name correctly. A guy has to come from India to pronounce my name correctly".
Pronouncing a name correctly, changed everything. Not my technical ability, not my communication skills, but a simple thing like getting the name correctly.
I didn't gain anything technical in that engagement, but I learned to persevere a challenge and win over a client because I pronounced his name correctly.
That's what I call "not breaking, but challenging".
Good luck to you.
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Derek Sivers is an philosopher-entrepreneur I respect a lot. He has a model, Hell yea, or no for decision-making. That is a pretty good model I believe for most cases.
In case of jobs (or engagement, since I'm a consultant mostly), I look for jobs that are challenging but doable. It will help me grow without breaking me. This is a fine line so I have failed few times and signed up for wrong jobs, but mostly I have enjoyed the jobs I have taken in the last 20 years.
I don't mean "with no pain", but "not breaking me".
I can give you an example that I cherish. One time, I went on an onshore engagement to a large Canadian bank to gather requirements for building a project dashboard for their CIO. The dashboard had to pull data from multiple applications. I had earlier built a similar dashboard, hence I had needed skills.
But the employees of this bank mistook that I am there to take their jobs offshore, so none of them co-operated with me to talk about their respective applications. I tried most of the methods I knew, but I was a failure. I had no progress to show even after one and half month. CIO was angry and the project was going to be terminated if I didn't show any progress. That day when this was announced, I sat in the hotel-bed and cried. I was puzzled, didn't know what to do other than return back empty handed. I said a small prayer and went to bed.
Few days later the whole situation changed. In the next 2 months, I gathered all the requirements and both management were happy. But that is not the part that I enjoy. The whole team sponsored a lunch for me and got me a ticket to a basketball game. All their own money, not from the company.
Now tell me, isn't that wonderful? Want to know how the turn-around happened?
There was a French-Canadian in the team who was the key player in the team. I was told if I gain his acceptance I would get the project in shape. But he hated talking to me. He took all steps to avoid me. But, few days after I wept in my hotel, I went to him as a last chance. I cornered him and started with 'Xavier, I need ....', But I pronounced his name in French and not in English. He didn't expect that. He got up from his seat and told loudly, "guys, I have been working with you for a decade. Nobody pronounced my name correctly. A guy has to come from India to pronounce my name correctly".
Pronouncing a name correctly, changed everything. Not my technical ability, not my communication skills, but a simple thing like getting the name correctly.
I didn't gain anything technical in that engagement, but I learned to persevere a challenge and win over a client because I pronounced his name correctly.
That's what I call "not breaking, but challenging".
Good luck to you.