All the talk of careers - Are you doing what you love?

The Coffee Shop
1

Lots of talk about changing jobs / careers and as someone who has done this but is still looking for the one thing I love to do I am interested how many people are doing what they love? Did you always know what you wanted to do or did it take searching? I don’t hate what I do but it isn’t a love either so I keep searching.

I have friends who have wanted to do one specific thing since way back and they are happy and great at what they do and I wish I had that focus. So do you love what you do? Do you know what it is you would love to do but are not doing it or like me and just don’t know? :slight_smile:

2

I was fired from my last job, as an accounting manager for a non-profit agency, in march 2004. Only after being fired did I realize how unhappy I was.

I have since become a certified personal trainer and am attending massage school. The only time I was happier was when I was in the Navy but I was medicaly discharged and could not pursue a career in the service.

Everyone has dreams. Taking the first step is the hardest. But even a journey of 1,000 miles starts with 1 step. But we all desire security and comfort in our lives. It is difficult financially to pursue your dreams. At that point most people are solely repsonsible for the financial success and that stops most people from taking the chance. I was lucky. I met and fell in love with a women who is very successful in her chosen field and that has allowed me to pursue my dreams. But I know if I had not met her I would have jsut found another accounting position where I would have been secure and comfortable but not really happy.

3

I love what I do. I build homes. Have for the past 25 years - I went to college for a construction management degree so i would not have to swing a hammer my whole life. I tried “moving up” in the world and went and worked for a developer in a down town office – YUCK!! that was not for me. So now I am back on the jobsite overseeing the projects. I like being outside, I like being the boss, I like the challenge, I like the feeling I have when we start with dirt and then turn over the keys to a beautiful finished home, great satisfation of a job well done. And each project has it’s own unique set of challenges - so it never feels like I am doing the same thing over and over. Did I mention I like being the boss :slight_smile:

4

So, when you were in accounting did you know you want do be a trainer? How did you figure out that is what you wanted to do when you had the opportunity?

5

So when you went to school you knew construction was what you wanted to do or did you just decide on Const Mgmt because it seemed interesting?

6

So when you went to school you knew construction was what you wanted to do or did you just decide on Const Mgmt because it seemed interesting?

I was already in construction and loved it. But I knew that to “move up in the world” I needed a college degree AND I knew that when I hit 40 - I did not want to be swinging a hammer.

7

I hope to soon be. With the loss of marriage and my job I am going to get my degree in excerise physiology and coach athletes in explosive and agile movements.

That I will love.

8

I’ve been in the simulation and training industry for the last few years. It’s just a job. Have been coaching part time since 2002, which I really enjoy, and have been writing triathlon articles for our local paper, which I also really enjoy. I have about 4 months left in the sim industry and that chapter will be done.

So to answer your question: Years ago I needed a job and didn’t know what I wanted to do, which is how I wound up in my field. Since then I found something I’m good at and love to do, am doing it, and will make it a primary career very shortly. We’ll see where that road might lead. Baby steps.

9

Don’t feel alone. My job is alright, but is really just a job. I’d like to have a job I love, a passion if you will, but sadly I really don’t know what that would be. In all honesty, what sounds perfect is to be retired and doing whatever I want to do each day. Financially that is not possible yet.

10

I do what I really enjoy about 1/4 of the time. I manage benefit plans and consult with employers, but I really enjoy leading seminars for lawyers, accountants and plan administrators. That part of my business is fairly lucrative, but I really can’t put up with any more travel. I fly about 200,000 miles a year as it is. I enjoy the rest of it, especially when I can really help a company and it’s employees, but if I had a beam transport system like the USS Enterprise I would be home at night and all over the country doing seminars during the day.

11

I have same problem, just don’t know what that magic thing is. If I did I could move all my focus to it…

12

that is a ton of flyin’. I have considered training jobs in the past (I am in IT) but being on the road doesn’t fit my regimented personality to well. Ever considered trying to at least some via video conference?

13

Been a chiropractor for 23 yrs. I still enjoy it but no real buzz any more. I’d consider changing careers but I don’t know what else to do. Would also be very hard to work for someone else.

14

Left school and worked in a dead end office job for a few years. Hated it, but saved some money to go to college. Put myself through college doing something I thought I’d love (geology) only to find that it wasn’t what I’d hoped for. Used it to get into the oil exploration business and did that for 6 years working offshore. Took me a few years to realise that I was actually pretty good at that, and that others thought so too, even if I didn’t enjoy the being away from everyone for 8 months of the year.

Got married and didn’t want to be offshore any more, so ended up doing IT support for a couple of years. Good at it but really didn’t enjoy it. Moved to the US for my wife’s work, went to massage school (been a hobby for years) and worked for myself doing that. Enjoyed it, and was good at it, built a reasonable reputation and was really starting to make a go of it when we moved countries again.

Can’t work where we are now, so applying to go offshore again. Still don’t know what I want to really do, and I’m searching for something that will make me want to get up in the mornings and look forward to work. Massage would be good, but not here, and there’s never going to be that much money in it. I’d like to get into designing and installing alternative energy systems, but again can’t do that here.

Maybe one day I’ll get it figured out, maybe I’ll end up living somewhere I can settle long enough to do something I’ll enjoy and get good at it.

So, I’ve changed career several times, and done a whole bunch of other jobs in between (sound engineer, roadie, despatch rider, farm worker etc) Life’s a journey, mine’s been interesting so far, but I wouldn’t say it was taking me where I thought it would, but then the journey is what it’s about. I don’t think I’ll ever be any more than comfortably off, but then that’s more than most people.

Something I’d really like to do is take a couple of years and build my own house, by myself. Post and beam, off-grid self sufficient etc. Who knows where I’ll end up.

Ramble over.

15

Oh yes.

16

I really like my work - took me almost two years out of collee to get here but now I’m working in Investor Services at one of the top investment managers in the world and spend much of my time thinking about and applying solutions to various problems and issues that weren’t apparent problems. While this isn’t what I want to do long-term it is perfect to learn about how to make these kinds of decisions and what to think about whenc considerng a business decision. The problem with liking one’s job is that sometimes it starts cutting into my training time and were I to quit triathlon I suspect that my life would be more similar to the early years of this blogger’s career http://www.feld.com/blog/archives/2005/07/discovering_wor.html.

17

I have a great job and business. I make lots of money and it is challenging. I’m one of the best at what I do in several counties so it is fullfilling. All that said, it is still just a job and it pays the bills. There are always things I would rather be doing. I think I loved it when I first started but now it is just a job- a good one but still a job.

18

Thanks guys, it is always interesting to see where people are. It is interesting how some people are just pulled to one thing and the rest of us seem to have to really search for what we want to do. Thanks for the insights.

19

Been a USAF officer for 18 years…flying B-1s, and loved every second of it. The camaraderie in the military, especially a combat squadron, is awesome…its like one big family…you love one another like brothers. I knew from a fairly early age that I wanted to fly military jets. However, I will be in a similar boat in a few years when I retire. I have absolutely no idea what to do with my life post-USAF.

Spot

20

cool job! My father was in the Navy (navigator on an airplane) then reserves and loved it too. You are a lucky person, not to many people get to that level of aviation. How cool is it to fly the B1? I have seen them both on the ground close and in the air close (fly by) and they are beautiful.

Maybe you should hit up Big Kahuna or HeavyD for some civilian aviation jobs:)