Chapter 1. Establishing Goals and Expectations (Including Your Own): You Will Be What You Decide to Be, Nothing Less, Nothing More
Winston Churchill remarked once that "we build our houses, and then they shape us." He was referring to Parliament. But the statement applies to most of our lives. That is, we create and fulfill our own expectations. When you consider entering the consulting field and, intelligently, ask others what to expect and prepare for, you'll probably be told:
You'll work long hours and travel incessantly.
You'll have to work the phones daily to get prospects.
You can't make more than $300,000 or so annually as a solo practitioner.
Divide your yearly needs by billable days to create a per diem fee.
Underpromise and overdeliver.
I produce over two million dollars from my home, with no staff, no office, and no sweat. If I had believed the preceding advice I never would have entered the field because, as much as I desperately wanted to be my own boss, I didn't want to work for any boss—including myself—who would labor under those adverse conditions. If we're going to take the risks inherent in starting and managing our own business, we ought to at least be able to reap the rewards.
The problem is that if you educate yourself incorrectly at the outset, or listen to the wrong sources, you're vulnerable to successfully meeting ...
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