Starting your career over

[FrankCastle]

One way of discovering your passion/calling in life is to ask yourself: if you have all the money and all the time in the world to do what you love/enjoy and benefit not only yourself but people around you as well, what would it be?

Introspection is something we all have to do from time to time. And as Stephen Covey said, private victory precedes public victory.

Nice post.I also heard some of this on a Brian Tracy Cd a long time ago:When a man's fight starts with himself he's really worth something.
What do you find yourself talking about more than anything else?
What are you good at?
Which successful people do you admire the most?
Sam Walton also said never do something for money.Do it because you want to be the best at it,and if you love doing something, you always want to be the best.It gives you a sense of purpose not only for yourself but for those around you.The money is just a by product.

 

[philthom]

I have never had the luxury to explore the world enough to be honest. It's always been a struggle to simply pay the bills.

If I woke up tomorrow and didn't HAVE to work I honestly have no idea what I'd do with myself. I'd like to travel and explore the world but that doesn't benefit others.

I hear you, man. Life can be tough. And sometimes you just got to do what you got to do to get by. But I hope you never lose track of your dreams, passions and what you love. I hope you always try to aspire to do them, and, you know what: if you fail you fail. But maybe through trying you can allow someone else to fulfill their passion in life. Maybe your children or someone elses children can reach for their dreams, cause you tried and inspired them through trying.

IMHO, there is much nobility in just trying.

 

[Jase]

I've found my passion / calling and that is EMS.
I love it with all my heart and wish I could do it full time, but at the moment, I can't.

This was / is my calling but financially it just doesn't pay (in SA that is), so now I am just another expat medic getting bored on a remote site clinic. I really miss working on the road though.

 

[krycor]

Some articles i found on the subject which are interesting..

Finding Your Calling Part I: What Is a Vocation?
Finding Your Calling-Part II: The Myths and Realities of Vocation
Finding Your Calling Part III: Why Pursue a Vocation?
Finding Your Calling Part IV: Discovering Your Vocation
Finding Your Calling Part V: Obstacles to Embracing Your Vocation

 

[oldBastard]

i been in IT so long, started at school, been doing it for almost 15 years, if i could do it all over, i'd get my commercial pilots licence, and begin my own charter company ( my dream...

Yip in the same boat as you, but hopefully things will start get going soon and then I'm out of IT. Loved it in the IT industry, but my calling is to be up in the sky.

 

[ice_cubes]

If I had all the money in the world, I would become a volunteer caregiver. Looking after abandoned and orphaned babies & kids

 

[Inn3rs3lf]

Man oh man.....................if I could I would do everything over. When in school, I thought I knew everything and everything would just fall into place. Man was I wrong. I have a dead end job, just scrapping through, new baby to feed. Sigh. However, I am finally on track in follwoing my dreams. Started studying my A+ at 28 yrs old. Done. Doing N+ next month, then onto servers and administration. I am going to struggle in the beginning, but I know it will all be worth it in the end.

 

[grok]

I still love what I do (software developer) but next time round I'd prefer not to work in the corporate world. If not programming then I'd like to be involved in sailing or flying.

 

[krycor]

If i had to do it over i'd do medicine.. because at the end of the day you always have a job if you competent, the same cannot be said for other professions. Still hoping eng works out but im beginning to think there is no point anymore and only positive is im single.

 

[mobilescan]

go for it

 

[Bumzilla]

your true calling ain't going to pay the bills! but we can all dream a dream!

I studied CS in the USA and spent 4-5 years working there. Came back to SA and did a 360 career change. Wouldn't say it was for the better as got dumped to run the family business. Realized that I wasted about +R500,000 for university which went down the drain. All I do now on the computer is excel, word, email! Hahaha. But seriously, I'd study something in finance if I had a 2nd chance as in the real world, anyone will require a bookkeeper/accountant. Whether you're running your own business or working for something, accounting skills will come in handy!

 

[starring]

Read this book by Dr. Myles Munroe on Time Management, he differentiates between 'work' and 'job', a job you tolerate, just a preoccupation to your work, you dont necessarily like your job but get prepared for your work and now your work is basically your calling, you just feel right about it you even miss lunch doin your work and payment for your work is your bonus. So in that light, i can tell you im jus going thru the motions now, only doin a job that i drag my feet to, man i hate my job so much i even hate the building and all the equipment in there, but anyway studying towards something that will get me out of this...

we were just talking about this in the office, nice post

 

[krycor]

Unfortunately I don't do that seperation at all. When working even it's a job that pays little and is just a time filler.. I can't do the minimal only. This kills me because its like I push hard to do best irrespective of outcome for me. Lately decided I'm gonna hold out and try and get the job in career I want but so far i'd have better luck with lotto.

It's weird, at university I would do the absolute minimum in everything except the stuff I really liked. Guess my work ethic is just different when getting paid. That and I just want to be able to achieve something great with my life.

 

[iCare]

I'd like a career change from the IT sector, what love doing wouldn't be a bigger money spinner though. I did leave the corporate world four years back and start working for myself, best thing I ever did. I just wish I'd done that 20 yrs ago.

 

[TheGuy]

I agree 100% with those who say you only discover your calling as you grow older and wiser in life. Especially in the society and culture we live in where it is taught to us from a young age to become doctors or CA's or whatever, not for any noble purposes, but purely for the economic benefit you'll gain by receiving a high salary from those jobs.

A man has to work. A man has to eat and provide for his loved ones. So we can understand our parents' reasoning of encouraging us to get high-paying jobs, but sometimes such teachings go too far, and you become materialistic and greedy as a youngster entering the 'real' world. The real world then teaches you lesson you'll never forget, and you either change or hate yourself forever.

This seems to be mainly a South African mentality. I lived in the UK for a couple of years and there you can have a perfectly acceptable life by jut being a barman. So it gives you a lot better opportunity to pursue your dreams.

 

[scotty777]

I've never known what I want from life... I'm happy now, but as part of my personality, I have to have everything perfect... So I think there will always be a bitterness to what ever I do...

I've decided to rather see what I can tolerate the most, and that's lead me to decide, under no circumstances, can I ever get a desk job... Spent two weeks doing it, and I almost had a break down because I just felt so restricted . I also had a panic attack when I was calling someone at the office... thank god no one was around me because I was gasping for air, my heart felt like I just ran 10km, with a gorilla on my back, and my stomach felt like I had butterflies in it, only, extremely painful (and nauseating!)

I personally think you should leave yourself enough space to do whatever you want, but also focus down on things you might enjoy. I also have seen that if you enter a career, then you more than likely going to stick to it... because you get used to the money.

 

[zaozzie]

I would have loved to be a doctor but marks were not up there in school. I would have made a good Dr House.

Still I feel now and in the often in the past like that movie Paycheck where the guy trades a year of his life for a million bucks but he won't remember a thing about it.

Anyway have to pay the bills and save as much money so I have more choices in future. If I can figure how to make money from passion and not repetition then if someone could point me in the right direction...