You’ve probably heard people suggest to job seekers, “Dress for the job you want.”  It’s good advice, but I’m not that into fashion, so I modify that advice to say:  “Work as if you have the job you want.”

I am lucky to actually have the job I want!  But I don’t always get the projects I want.  My clients are great – it’s their clients (the Owners on construction projects) that I sometimes wish were, well, a little more this… a little less that… 

But I keep working as if all the Owners actually were appreciative of my efforts to do my best, and were aware of the ways my work can benefit them. 

One of my goals for my future is to work only on projects with Owners who are aware enough to appreciate my conscientiousness and thoroughness.  For now though, on a lot of my projects, I’m just practicing.  I’m doing my best on all my projects, whether it’s appreciated by the Owners or not.

As we’ve all heard “…perfect practice makes perfect.”  (This is how I remember that great Vince Lombardi quote, because this important fragment is all that I ever heard from Mr. Roberson, my guitar teacher when I was 8.)  The full quote is: “Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.” 

I believe that you cannot be prepared for the work you want to be doing unless you always work as hard as your dream job will require you to work.