One of the funny things about consulting is that if you solve a problem too quickly people tend to think they're not getting their money's worth. There's this look they get, clearly wondering why, if it was so darned easy, do I need to pay you to help me out? Alex's favorite answer to that question is that it's taken years of experience to make it look easy. Now some would counsel us to slow things down in order to make our clients more comfortable but that's just not our style. We work fast and hard and give everything 110%. If that works against us occasionally so be it. It's not about fitting into a box, it's about doing the best job possible.
On the flip side of that sometimes we hit a wall. Creativity stalls in the face of massive deadlines and sometimes we long to be anywhere but the kitchen. That's a good time to remind ourselves that every phase is temporary and we should take some time to pursue something different. Stepping away from a project for a little may be all we need to get excited about it again. At the very least the time away gives us a little perspective and helps unravel a few of the knots holding us back.
Life is a series of puzzles. Each small challenge stokes our desire to do more and climb to the next level. Some of the challenges make us wonder what the heck we're doing but in the end it's always worth figuring things out. We set our own challenges and map out the own journey. Life isn't about the thing that's making me crazy at this very moment, it's about how I handle it.
Alex sang this song at our wedding reception years ago and somehow the lyrics still feel relevant today.
Years Past
