--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My search for professional/personal…" description: "\"“My search for professional/personal harmony led me down the path of asking the wrong question. The question isn’t, “What can I give up today to have w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/trong-nguyen-284419_cell-phone_my-search-for-professional-personal-harm_2765779.jpg" --- # My search for professional/personal harmony led me down… ![“My search for professional/personal harmony led me down the path of asking the wrong question. The question isn’t, “What can I give up today to have what I want tomorrow?” The reality of life is that winning costs. It takes a tremendous amount of dedication and effort. The key question here is…” quote by Trong Nguyen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/trong-nguyen-284419_cell-phone_my-search-for-professional-personal-harm_2765779.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/trong-nguyen-284419_cell-phone_my-search-for-professional-personal-harm_2765779.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/trong-nguyen-284419_cell-phone_my-search-for-professional-personal-harm_2765779.jpg) > ““My search for professional/personal harmony led me down the path of asking the wrong question. The question isn’t, “What can I give up today to have what I want tomorrow?” The reality of life is that winning costs. It takes a tremendous amount of dedication and effort. The key question here is, “Are the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards worth the price you have to pay?” There is no right or wrong answer, just ebbs and flows. Malcom Gladwell’s Outliers and Geoff Colvin’s Talent is Overrated are different riffs on the same theme. In theory, it takes approximately 10,000 hours of hard, dedicated practice to get to a level of expertise in any field. It takes the right focus, the right practice and most of all, commitment. Cloud technology today is as ubiquitous as kids having cell phones. However, five years ago it was like the feeling shared by a new married couple. There was a lot of hope and promise but you weren’t sure how it was going to play out. Here’s where it got really interesting. Try selling hope and promise to a highly-regulated global bank with massive footprints in Canada and the USA after the financial crisis of 2008. Selling ice to Eskimos in December would have been easier. That’s the challenge we were up against. I had just moved to Toronto from Chicago. I enjoyed working with my new customer. I was whipping my team into shape. I could now openly indulge in contraband (Cuban cigars). Life was good. God bless Canada! Peter was the cloud specialist on my team. We were partners in every sense of the word. Together, we developed a sales strategy and campaign to sell cloud services to this financial services firm in Canada. Together we pushed the envelope and our teams to achieve the impossible.”” [Trong Nguyen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trong-nguyen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage reflects on the cost of achievement, emphasizing that mastery demands massive effort, commitment, and realistic appraisal of rewards versus sacrifices, illustrated through a challenging sales scenario. **In simple terms:** Great success requires huge effort and honest cost‑benefit analysis. Key Takeaway Assess whether your goals justify the required dedication. Themes hard work commitment career technology sales risk reward Mood determined pragmatic inspired Type Cell phone:0 Cell phones:0 Financial crisis:0 Financial services:0 Five years:0 God bless:0 Hard work:1 Peace:0 Reality of life:0 Right or wrong:0 Technology:1 Years ago:0 Achieve The Impossible:1 Married Couple:0 Malcom Gladwell:0 Try Selling:0 Sell Cloud:0 Selling Hope:0 Firm Canada:0 Commitment Cloud:1 When to use this quote - career planning - skill development - sales strategy - technology adoption Key Concepts effort economics skill acquisition market dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Is the reward worth the effort? - How do you sustain motivation during long practice? A Different Perspective Not all endeavors yield proportional rewards; burnout risk exists. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achieve The Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieve-the-impossible/) [Cell phone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cell-phone/) [Cell phones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cell-phones/) [Commitment Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment-cloud-3204200/) [Financial crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/financial-crisis/) [Financial services](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/financial-services/) [Firm Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firm-canada-3204199/) [Five years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five-years/) [God bless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-bless/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Malcom Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/malcom-gladwell-221019/) [Married Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/married-couple/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Reality of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality-of-life/) [Right or wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-or-wrong/) [Sell Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sell-cloud-3204197/) [Selling Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selling-hope-3204198/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Try Selling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-selling-2907106/) [Years ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-ago/) ## Related quotes > [When you're learning, especially to write, unless you're some incredibly gifted writer, a young Malcom Gladwell, say, you need to be imitating people. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/when-you-re-learning-especially-to-write-unless-you-re-some/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [Candidly, when you go back to '07 or '08, it was hard to sell cloud. We started out by focusing on large enterprises on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/candidly-when-you-go-back-to-07-or-08-it-was-hard-to-sell-cloud-we/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [We've got to get our fans back. We've got to start winning and get our fans excited about the 76ers again... We're selling hope.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-collins/we-ve-got-to-get-our-fans-back-we-ve-got-to-start-winning-and-get-our/) [Doug Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-collins/) > [I was never use to niggas that was use to being broke, so I started selling coke. Times got hard was selling soap. Scheming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meek-mill/i-was-never-use-to-niggas-that-was-use-to-being-broke-so-i-started/) [Meek Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meek-mill/) > [“The principles underlying propaganda are extremely simple. Find some common desire, some widespread unconscious fear or anxiety; think out some way to relate this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/the-principles-underlying-propaganda-are-extremely-simple-find-some/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [That's what I tried to share in this book, Back From The Dead, the ability to learn, to dream, to hope. In a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/that-s-what-i-tried-to-share-in-this-book-back-from-the-dead-the/) [Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/) > [Human beings will line up for miles to buy a bucket of catastrophes, but don't try selling sunshine and light - you'll go broke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-jones/human-beings-will-line-up-for-miles-to-buy-a-bucket-of-catastrophes/) [Chuck Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-jones/) > [If you think this is a free country, try selling something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-kantor/if-you-think-this-is-a-free-country-try-selling-something/) [Andrew Kantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-kantor/) > [If you believe that happiness can be bought, then why don't you try selling some of yours?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-j-zelinski/if-you-believe-that-happiness-can-be-bought-then-why-don-t-you-try/) [Ernie J Zelinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-j-zelinski/) > [“Instead of burning the midnight oil, you should try selling it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/instead-of-burning-the-midnight-oil-you-should-try-selling-it/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [No one's playing records anymore, so find your favorite and frame it, then get rid of the rest - try selling or donating them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niecy-nash/no-one-s-playing-records-anymore-so-find-your-favorite-and-frame-it/) [Niecy Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niecy-nash/) > [Try selling your EGO on OLX.com ..you will realize its not worth even a penny¦](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka/try-selling-your-ego-on-olx-com-you-will-realize-its-not-worth-even-a/) [Priyanka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka/) ## More Cell phone quotes > [“What you’re holding in your hands is a BookShots Flames story. It’s part of a revolution in reading. Hand-picked by James Patterson, BookShots Flames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ciotta/what-you-re-holding-in-your-hands-is-a-bookshots-flames-story-it-s/) [Beth Ciotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ciotta/) > [“Kindle Paperwhite 3G models use the same technology as cell phones, so they are dependent on cellular coverage areas. By default, a 3G device…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amazon/kindle-paperwhite-3g-models-use-the-same-technology-as-cell-phones-so/) [amazon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amazon/) > [“I’m not sure how the ponies happened, though I have an inkling: “Can I get you anything?” I’ll say, getting up from a dinner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/i-m-not-sure-how-the-ponies-happened-though-i-have-an-inkling-can-i/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [I like everything with a heaping dose of feminitity, including my cell phone. I created this phone for the classic woman, who like me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimora-lee-simmons/i-like-everything-with-a-heaping-dose-of-feminitity-including-my-cell/) [Kimora Lee Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimora-lee-simmons/) > [“People were sitting together, talking and telling stories face-to-face again, instead of staring at a cell phone screens while texting or chatting with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-foster/people-were-sitting-together-talking-and-telling-stories-face-to-face/) [Mike Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-foster/) > [“To me, at least in retrospect, the really interesting question is why dullness proves to be such a powerful impediment to attention. Why we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/to-me-at-least-in-retrospect-the-really-interesting-question-is-why/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“Another night then,' Mom said. 'Maybe on the weekend we can have a barbecue and invite your sister.' 'Or,' I said turning to Rafe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/another-night-then-mom-said-maybe-on-the-weekend-we-can-have-a/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Girls are like cell phones they love to be held and talked to but whewn you press the wrong buttons you will be disconnected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/superman/girls-are-like-cell-phones-they-love-to-be-held-and-talked-to-but/) [Superman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/superman/) > [Sometimes life really sucks. Then I see your name pop up on my cell phone and I cant help but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-life-really-sucks-then-i-see-your-name-pop-up-on-my-cell/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I remember one point seeing I had like 60-some different cell phones. I know I only use one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-kosar/i-remember-one-point-seeing-i-had-like-60-some-different-cell-phones/) [Bernie Kosar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-kosar/) > [Cell phones are so convenient that they're an inconvenience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/cell-phones-are-so-convenient-that-they-re-an-inconvenience/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“The history of the sexual vanguard in America was a long list of people who had been ridiculed, imprisoned, or subjected to violence. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-witt/the-history-of-the-sexual-vanguard-in-america-was-a-long-list-of/) [Emily Witt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-witt/) > [The increase in chemicals and the increase in technology, like wi-fi and cell phone use that's going through our bodies all of the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-jennings/the-increase-in-chemicals-and-the-increase-in-technology-like-wi-fi/) [Mason Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-jennings/) > [But I'm acutely aware that the possibility of fraud is even more prevalent in today's world because of the Internet and cell phones and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armistead-maupin/but-i-m-acutely-aware-that-the-possibility-of-fraud-is-even-more/) [Armistead Maupin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armistead-maupin/) > [“was my first indication that the policies of Mamaw’s “party of the working man”—the Democrats—weren’t all they were cracked up to be. Political scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/was-my-first-indication-that-the-policies-of-mamaw-s-party-of-the/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) [Browse all 982 Cell phone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cell-phone/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“My search for professional/personal harmony led me down the path of asking the wrong question. The question isn’t, “What can I give up today to have what I want tomorrow?” The reality of life is that winning costs. It takes a tremendous amount of dedication and effort. The key question here is, “Are the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards worth the price you have to pay?” There is no right or wrong answer, just ebbs and flows. Malcom Gladwell’s Outliers and Geoff Colvin’s Talent is Overrated are different riffs on the same theme. 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