Rob Farley

Rob Rob Farley has been consulting in IT since completing a Computer Science degree with first class honours in 1997. Before moving to Adelaide, he worked in consultancies in Melbourne and London. He runs the development department in one of Australia's leading IT firms, as well as doing database application consultancy and training. He heads up the Adelaide SQL Server User Group, and holds several Microsoft certifications.

Rob has been involved with Microsoft technologies for most of his career, but has also done significant work with Oracle and Unix systems. His preferred database is SQL Server and his preferred language is C#. Recently he has been involved with Microsoft Learning in the US, creating and reviewing new content for the next generation of Microsoft exams.

Over the years, Rob's clients have included BP Oil, OneLink Transit, Accenture, Avanade, Australian Electorial Commission, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, the Royal Borough of Kingston, Help The Aged, Unisys, Department of Treasury and Finance (Vic), National Mutual, the Bible Society and others.

Did you mean to come here? My blog is now at http://msmvps.com/blogs/robfarley



07 September 2005

You could win from here!

"You could win from here" was an expression that I became known for around the pool table I mentioned in my last post.

Typically, I'd be playing someone, or maybe talking to someone who was playing, and one of the players was losing badly. Maybe 5 or 6 balls left on the table (8-ball, by the way, not 9-ball), compared to their opponents 1 or 2. Their turn would start, and they would start looking around the table, hoping to find a way back into the game.

I would look at the table, and often say "You know... you could win from here." Typically they wouldn't believe me, but I would follow it up with "Pot this one, then take that one, with the white ending up around here. Then put that one into the corner..." you get the gist. Just occasionally, they'd believe me, and sometimes even pull it off. But my point didn't change. The fact was - the odds might've been against them, but they could still achieve success from where they were.

No situation is hopeless. Your project might be seriously late. Your team might be inadequate for the task. Your client might be turning the screws. But success is never out of reach. Things can always be turned around for the best. We don't always feel like things are that way, and at times like that, I appreciate people like Stu telling me that I could win from here. And it's not even a question of having to define 'win' to something that's achievable. 'Winning' is a state of mind. You need to expect to come out of your situation in 1st place. Not beating everyone else, but satisfied that you won.

Ugh - I feel like I'm philosophizing... but at least it explains why I've called my blog "You could win from here"

Posted by Rob Farley at 3:42 pm