In a recent governance training conducted by ADB, the OECD, DAC-GovNet and GIZ, we were introduced to many of the governance challenges we have faced as a new governance advisor. What and how should the governance advisor help partner government to tackle public sector reform, politics, institutions, and stakeholders in operational practice? How do we overcome our own institutional challenges? Would the reforms proposed for countries fit into our own quest to reform our own institutions? As we know by now, there is no secret recipe to help governments carry out governance reform. We, as a governance advisor, will have to learn to be good at thinking on our own. All the lessons learned in school such as the theory of change, best practices, and how to sequence governance intervention will have to be tested as we make our way in a real life situation.