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Mid Thirties Crisis

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    #31
    It's difficult to keep being motivated.

    I mean people will always say "look at the next invoice" to keep you working. But what if you're on fixed price stage payments? And you've been doing this for over 7 years. And you're getting better money than you ever could as a contractor?

    By all rights, you should firing on all cylinders ripping up the work.

    But like socialism, the idealogy doesn't always work as planned. It's very difficult to keep that kind of motivation for a long period of time.

    I've worked extremely hard for the last 5 years, even to the detriment of my marriage to work direct for several blue chips. Most people would say, I'm lucky to work from my own office 24/7 without the daily commute and without the parasitical involvement of agents, and they'd be right in that particular part of my business.

    It's not easy obviously. But it's not the hard work that's the issue, it's the subtle things like the lack of comaraderie, the social interaction between fellow contractors, the vaguaries of project maturities, boredom, distraction, cash flow, uncertanties... I have to be very careful on the phone and not "talk the hind leg off a donkey" to my clients because I've not spoken to anyone in the last 12 hours.

    Motivation is a fickle thing. Niavely, I thought I could carry on with the 24/7 coding that I did for 3 years but I have, despite the numerous Maldives holidays, the private planes, the sports cars, come into a long period of burnout. Yes, I'll probably retire in my late 40s but at what price?

    Don't get me wrong, I like what I'm doing more than anything I've done in the world but don't assume that working from your own office is nirvana - it has its own set of demons to battle.
    If you think my attitude stinks, you should smell my fingers.

    Comment


      #32
      Originally posted by milanbenes View Post
      Hi Pondlife,

      thanks for the advice.

      Yep gotto snap out of it.

      I guess I have to admit being at the front of .Net gets you down from time to time because it is endless problems and nothing works, but if it did work then we wouldn't be here would we ?

      once I get to my forties I plan to be like you and Zorba and whatshisname and sit at the back cruising along on the older more mature .net component technologies.

      Ok, crisis over, back to the coal face.

      Milan.

      Right, what's all this then?

      1) Milan - <SLAP> Get over it, soldier, and get charging! Remember the company logo - a wounded rhino! I have got an old permy payslip around - it does the job for me.

      2) Been messing with some of the newer stuff and I see what you mean. Back to the old stuff for a bit - I'll get the offshore trainees to sort the, er, notes out.

      3) This is for you, PondLife and rootsnall: workbench, BW and whatever else slipped my scan are not acceptable .net terminology. Please don't ever ever use them in public! You'll give people ideas...

      4) Can we just have a bit less of the Passat jokes? I've got one too and they are fine.

      That will be all. Carry on!

      Comment


        #33
        quite,

        maybe the problem is I am working from home this week

        and I'd rather be downstairs playing with the children

        Milan.

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          #34
          Zorba,

          LOL

          yes dad




          Milan.

          Comment


            #35
            Yeah, that can be a real motivation killer.

            Of course, you could do what you need to do but reduce all the normal office tutting and shaking your head at the size of the problem, and renegotiating specs etc, to effectively zero, and get it all done in a couple of hours.

            Then go play with the kids.

            Just a thought.

            Comment


              #36
              Originally posted by milanbenes View Post
              very good Franko, I knew you'd be straight in there when you saw this thread,

              let me give you something to think about...

              by taking a few days off, I have been able to enjoy the fruits of my tape changing

              and nice fruits they are too

              and I'd like to have more time enjoying these fruits but these fruits don't come without a price and that price is changing tapes

              I have to admit though, I would rather have these fruits and less time to enjoy them than be like yourself and have no fruit

              Milan.
              You're missing the whole point. Francko IS a fruit.
              Hard Brexit now!
              #prayfornodeal

              Comment


                #37
                nah I guess it's my fault, I am the only one who knows the new fangled stuff, and I keep my dirty mits in all the new fangled work that comes along, don't give anyone else a look in and don't document nothing therefore as you know the new fangled is full of problems, especially when you are integrating this with that and that, start integrating a chain of more than two new fangled bits and it all becomes really confusing, and just rains problems, but that's life eh, share the knowledge or keep the knowledge

                Milan.

                Comment


                  #38
                  Originally posted by milanbenes View Post
                  nah I guess it's my fault, I am the only one who knows the new fangled stuff, and I keep my dirty mits in all the new fangled work that comes along, don't give anyone else a look in and don't document nothing therefore as you know the new fangled is full of problems, especially when you are integrating this with that and that, start integrating a chain of more than two new fangled bits and it all becomes really confusing, and just rains problems, but that's life eh, share the knowledge or keep the knowledge

                  Milan.
                  Never forget it's just a (ridiculously well-paid) job, though.

                  Comment


                    #39
                    sas,

                    excellent,

                    Milan.

                    Comment


                      #40
                      Zorba,

                      for sure.

                      I can guarantee you I know full well this is only a job and will end one day, hence the making hay while the sun shines

                      Milan.

                      Comment

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