Chris does a great job of tying the spirit of our founding fathers to the realities of taking control of your own future. Just like the Continental Congress in 1776, you too can become independent of all the mechanisms that exist to keep from reaching your full potential and really enjoying life.
So stop talking about how things keep getting in your way and start doing things to move past them.
So I’ve completed my last day with Michael Foods. The last two weeks have been an almost non-stop brain dump and documentation marathon. It’s taken extra hours each day and left me drained of ambition to do much else when I got home.
Now that this transition is over, I’m going to be able to focus my attention on clients. I’ve also got a lot of work to do yet with that – there is a tremendous amount of work on the web site that needs to be done, marketing materials (glossies, cards, brochures, letterhead, etc…), and numerous other items.
Still, I’m excited about getting started with Avatar Consultants, the name of my consulting firm that I’ll be working to launch over the coming weeks. If you visit the site, please be aware that it is still under construction. I’ll be getting a lot more done this coming weekend, but it may look a little sparse on the services and such.
So stay tuned, I’m going to be pretty busy, but I’m going to be blogging a lot more. I’ll also be on Twitter much more than today as well, just due to the nature of working in different environments and having the opportunity to network more.
This is a difficult post for me, and an exciting one as well. There are many good times that I’ll remember from working at Michael Foods, and I have to admit that I’m going to miss working with such a great group of people. Anyone looking to join Michael Food’s IT department couldn’t look for a better team of people – seriously, the people are great and the environment is a good one – don’t hesitate.
So why am I leaving? Because it’s time. I’ve been with Michael Foods for a total of 9 years, the first two as a contract employee, the remaining as an FTE. The experiences have been numerous and varied. It is simply time for me to take the next step in my career – my goals no longer match the needs of the position I held, I simply need more room to grow in the directions I want to pursue. Simple as that.
So, to my former coworkers, and friends that I leave behind on a day to day basis I need to say goodbye. I’m sure that I’ll get a number of calls and questions on a number of topics, but for many I’ll probably not be in touch. While this is a shame, I look forward to the possibilities of working with any of my former coworkers again someday in the future. Simply to all, I want to say thank you.
There have also been many, several people that I want to thank individually – and I couldn’t fit it all in my goodbye email, so here it goes.
Jon – For patience & answer for every question – you’re a good friend
Pat – For teaching me how to appreciate individuals potential & look for new ideas
Jimmy – As a mentor in leadership & team building
Craig – For the importance of bandwidth, details, & the big picture
Pete – For project management & planning
Deb – For people skills & career coaching
Guy – For a different perspective & approach to things
Again, to everyone else I’ve worked with at Michael Foods, both in IT and the business – thank you for 9 great years. It will not be forgotten. Best wishes to you and your future endeavors.
Its a good question that, of course, I have no answer to having never really been a telecommuter. However, I have an intense interest in becoming one. 😉
In my pursuit to become a better blogger, there is always a thought in the back of my mind about being able to do more remotely. Becoming more focused on writing than on the “day job”. It’s always a temptation to move in that direction.
Some of the comments on the post at Web Worker Daily relate to experiences of lack of office politics, or more involvement by managers simply because you’re “out of site” and its not obvious what you’re working on. The aspect of lack of advancement to me is a non-starter as the farther up the ladder I move, the less interested in the ladder I become.
Personally I think that a person should find the right mix of work and life that is unique to them. While that should be obvious, it is way to easy to fall into the “corporate ladder” mentality. That is, once in that environment, it has the potential to become the most important aspect of your life. That’s something I’m struggling with at this stage in my career – what is more important, the career or simply doing things that you enjoy (and still bring home the bacon).
If you use LinkedIn and would like a connection from a professional career coach, don’t pass up this offer from David V. Lorenzo, author of the excellent book Career Intensity.
@MAC_Arms Pay taxes when you make your money, pay taxes when you spend your money, pay taxes when you successfully invest your money, pay taxes when you save enough taxed money to afford a house, pay taxes to live in your house, pay taxes when you sell the house that you paid taxes on to
Yup, taxes are criminal and we need serious reforms. I've always said that if you want to see a tax revolt, make withholdings illegal and have Americans write a tax check every payday. They'll revolt for sure. You don't miss what you never had.
Sen. @berniemoreno says voter ID and proof of citizenship are simply common sense.
“We’re talking about a very low threshold — identify who you are and prove you’re a U.S. citizen when you register to vote. I think we’re getting closer to
