It’s been a cloudy and rainy week in Seattle. Before I moved here I would have thought that’s a normal sentence, but it’s really not. Seattle is a wonderfully sunny place. Even when the day starts out crazy cloudy it’s sunny with a clear blue sky by the afternoon. This week has not been like that. We have been experiencing downpours this past week, which have kept the skies grey. It being January the fact that the sun rises at 8am and sets around 4pm has not been helping. Continue reading “Letting Motivation Come”
I set up LinkedIn 6 months into my career in 2012 when I was starting to think of my first job hop. That also happened to be the time when I lost 30 lbs in 3 months by starving myself (coincidence?!…yeah I think it was…) As a result, the picture I used showed a skinny me smiling (also wine glasses…you have to show who you are, you know?) I’ve had that picture on LinkedIn since then: 6 years. 
The human brain is insane. I’m talking specifically about mine. We come to expect what’s happening now to happen forever. This is part of the irrational exuberance that creates bubbles and crashes in the stock market. It’s our nature and it’s hard to reign in. I caught my brain in the same trap recently. We recently received our Q3 bonuses. As I’ve mentioned before part of my compensation is a guaranteed target bonus that everyone receives unless they’re on a performance improvement plan. The rest of the bonus is discretionary and based on performance. I call this the “stretch bonus.” 
Guess we need to start hanging out in a place like this – because stereotypes.
There is one aspect of my work life that has been exacerbated by moving into consulting: always being on call. When I worked at ad agencies it was expected that you were always available. That’s why employers buy or pay for their employee’s cell and data plans. They are paying for your constant availability and ability to be reached. Consulting has been an interesting change. On one hand we have a lot more power than ad agencies: my company specifically has and is completely comfortable with firing clients they do not enjoy working with. Ad agencies would never dare :). However, one of the reasons we’re paid so well is the fact that we are supposed to be always available. 