Greener Grass

Before I start the whining (whinging if you prefer), let me just say I have the greatest job in the world. I'm exceedingly lucky to have it. I'm grateful as can be. And someone else (looking at you Tim) can get it when they pry it from my dead cold fingers.

With that out of the way....

Today is my second day this week working out of a hotel room. Many times on the road, the hotels have "Executive Lounges" which are decent places to go and get work done. However, not always. So you get stuck in the room. This particular one doesn't have a desk of any sort. There's a table (a bit too high) and a chair (a bit too low with a low back) that are not conducive to typing. A couple of weeks back I was stranded by Deutsche Bahn 2/3 of the way to my destination. Earlier this week a five hour layover (not a bad thing actually) turned into less than an hour because of weather. I've been stranded multiple times in different airports all around the world, calling hotels to get a last-minute room somewhere. Jet lag sucks. Hotel rooms are usually too hot, too cold, or alternate between the two. I actually find most of the beds to be comfortable enough, but oh my god the pillows.

In short, travel can be extremely uncomfortable.

I'm just sharing that so you know, sure, I have a fantastic job that I truly love, but it's not perfect. There are real challenges to it some days. The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the hill. Sometimes, it's just different grass.

I say all this because I've had a couple of conversations recently with people who were looking to leave their jobs for another. Yet, when you drill down on what they're moving for, or to, you frequently find that they work for, let's say a bank, and they're interviewing at other banks. For the same position as the one they are currently in. I try to point out to them that... really, they're not looking at greener grass, just different grass. Maybe even not that different.

If you are thinking of changing jobs, be sure that it's a real change. At the very least, the same position, but in a different industry will bring new challenges and some excitement. It should be a real change that drives you though, not just the appearance of greener grass.

Grant Fritchey

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