In 30 years I've spent 30,000 hours giving advice as a career consultant. My clients have been great teachers. Each has brought something unique, valuable, and special about the workplace, human nature, persistence, or life itself. Several thoughts stand out, though, as memorable. Except for Rory MacDowell, Anna Jo Haynes, and Charles McIlwaine's quotes, I'm publishing them anonymously to protect confidentiality. These thoughts are quite simple. But simple is often hard.

Don't confuse your real worth with your net worth.
It's easy to think more money equals more happiness. So people in career transition without a salary, can feel bad about themselves. Truth is, your real worth is not tied to your job title or income. You have intrinsic value as a person, a remarkable one-of-a-kind miracle. Stints of unemployment, if not too long or severe, can get people back in touch with their families, friends, fitness, and outside interests. Three weeks after a job loss, career changers often hear, "You look so much more relaxed, so much happier."

I just gave my boss a good listening to.
It's easy to forget that bosses are real people, too, and that managing one's boss is part of any job description. The Harvard Business Review website has several good articles on this topic. Listening blends nicely with Stephen Covey's 5th rule from The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." In my own case, I've never lost advantage in business situations by listening too much. My personal rule is, "Listen 80%, talk 20%. And make sure your 20% adds value."

Make the large problems into small problems and make the small problems go away!
The super-successful regional sales manager for a building materials company put together some to-dos for his team who were "not getting stuff done." This simple rule-of-thumb struck me as absolutely correct. I use it any time I feel stumped, defeated, or overwhelmed. On a related note, my friend and mentor, Joe Sabah says, "You don't have to be good to start, but you do have to start to be good."

I want to manage my career; I don't want my career to manage me.
Tamara had gotten into white water with her recent boss, whose impossible expectations could never be met. She realized that when your career is running your life, it can damage you physically, emotionally, and spiritually. She resigned her position to get back in control of her life, and happiness has been a byproduct. (See also: Too Much Success Can Kill You.)

I owe it to my people to tell them what I see.
I've met few great managers in my career, which is odd, since I've interviewed hundreds. Many fall down when it comes to giving honest feedback, or having difficult conversations. Others ignore poor performance, or sweep it under the carpet. Some promote non-performers into higher-level jobs as a way of avoiding conflict. This great manager advocated being honest with his direct reports, whether his observations were positive or negative. It's not okay to blast others, but you may owe it to them to tell them what you see.