Comments on: Timing Is Everything

By: Thomas LaRock

Thomas LaRock — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:27:22 +0000

good point Jon, everything we do today has an impact on our future.

By: jonmcrawford

jonmcrawford — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:28:59 +0000

I actually saw this in reference to a book review for a sci-fi novel about time travel, but it really resonated with me: If any little change in the past has a significant impact on the present, imagine how much of an impact everything you do each day has on your future.

What are you doing in your present to control what you do in your future?

By: Mark Shay

Mark Shay — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 02:50:10 +0000

Tom – Keep living the dream. Maybe in my next life I will comeback as Brent O. Good Stuff!

By: Jimmy May, Aspiring Geek

Jimmy May, Aspiring Geek — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:26:43 +0000

My lovely bride keeps something on our fridge so we see it every day: “Most people don’t recognize opportunity when it comes knocking because it often comes disguised as hard work”.

Congrats to you & Brent. For a similar perspective, bing my name & “choices”. Believe me, if you knew where I came from, you’d know there’s hope for all of us!

By: Chuck Rummel

Chuck Rummel — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:21:44 +0000

Your question “do you want the opportunity to present itself?” resonates especially well with me. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement seeing so many people change jobs recently, yet at the end of the day it’s still a very introspective process.

By: Brent Ozar

Brent Ozar — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:58:20 +0000

Stephen – so instead of getting someone else to give you a shot, you have to load up your gun and start taking your own shots. Build something – it’s never been easier to get started with a web site, turning a business idea into money, doing social media, or starting a consultancy to help small businesses.

On the flip side, I don’t think it’s ever been harder to break in as an employee. The competition is just way too fierce from kids fresh out of college willing to work for nothing, plus offshored employees.

By: Stephen Mitchell

Stephen Mitchell — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:54:40 +0000

My problem is…I don’t know where to be and when so that I’m there when the opportunity presents itself. Right now, I want to get started in IT so bad I can taste it…but no one is insterested in giving me a shot to show them what I can do.

By: Brent Ozar

Brent Ozar — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:53:39 +0000

Thanks, Mike!

By: Mike Decuir

Mike Decuir — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:51:43 +0000

Thanks for the reminder about the preparation part of luck. Brent, you and quite a few others in the SQL Server community continue to be inspirations for me and my career.

By: Brent Ozar

Brent Ozar — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:49:16 +0000

Ha! Yeah, timing is indeed everything, and nothing ever happens when you want it to. You just have to try to be where the ball’s going, not where it’s at right now.

IT, business, management, it’s all in flux all the time. The skills you need to get a certain job today can be totally different than the skills you need two or three years from now.

I sat out of the dot-com rush and felt like I missed a huge opportunity. I kicked myself for a long time for not being better prepared, and I didn’t think I’d ever get a chance like that again. I was wrong – these chances always come up, but you have to be running long before the train comes by.