I believe the angst that prompted my search for a new career was provoked by a lack of authentic client interaction. I’m a person who is motivated by a sense of accomplishment and the gratitude of my client. I really get off knowing that my efforts have made someone’s job easier, made someone’s life easier. And I luv when I know that person personally, in the flesh, and they can smile at me and say “Wow, this is great!”

Because of the enormity of Enterprise-level systems I haven’t felt this one-on-one, smiling-in-my-face wow-this-is great in a really long time from my job, and only started feeling it again when I began tutoring English language students.

As part of my long term plan for retirement I started taking Italian language lessons (“plan your work, work your plan”), and had sought native Italian speakers for mutual coaching. Turns out I was pretty good at teaching and coaching, and I also got this fabulous rush when I sparked an a-ha moment or when I helped improve pronunciation for a struggling student. The sense of the client saying “Wow, this is great!” was overwhelming.  

If I could only figure out a way to get this thrill daily! Have this personal one-on-one interaction with a real live humanoid and help him to achieve his goals every freakin’ day.

Having that rush everyday… would be as addictive as crack. Or as peanut M&Ms. Or NetFlix.