Old dogs, new tricks.

[Dako]

When I was young, I was clueless about work. I had little exposure to much but school, hobbies and goofing off. After a few decades of different things I'm finding a new interest and wondering what took me so long.

 

I was a carpenter, concrete finisher, graphic artist and sidelined in sign painting and a few other crafts, and at one point discovered how friggin lonely it is to work alone. My last career involved sitting in a gray cubicle with a PC and diddling about with images and websites.

 

I just started working a hectic job in healthcare with a team of fine people. It's full of red tape and other BS but at least a few times a day I have a meaningful interaction with real people. My emotions run the gamut from anger to elation each day and I go home exhausted.

 

Recently I was called by a recruiter to become a diamond grader. The pay and bennies look good, but all I could imagine is sitting alone with a scope in a gray cubicle feeling alone again.

No way.

 

No matter what it pays, work should interest you. Life is more than weekends or shopping.

 

Wish I knew that years ago.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

I absolutely agree. You have to love your work. I know far too many people who simply work to get money so that they can retire. They live for retirement. I know someone who in her early 40's counted retirement as a major dream in her life and once a week would obsessively check her investments to see how she was doing towards her goal of Freedom 55. Work was just a way for her to have the money to retire so she could do whatever. The people I work with (MDs, PhDs) don't really think about retirement...many of them are still working into their 60's and 70's because they love the work they do.

[shikashika]

I think it depends... if you HATE your job and it makes you miserable.. then yes, you need to find something that makes you happy.

 

But reality is, we all work so we can get money to eat, pay bills and hopefully try to enjoy ourselves somewhat... so if i can find a job that pays more, but allows me to do what i want to do, then i'll take it.... the things i do outside of work are more important to me than my job, so i'd rather take the higher paying one, unless it was making me totally miserable.

 

 

I work to live, not the other way around.

[Miss Firecracker]

Too bad the job you like can't be the one that makes you rich. Sometimes it works out that way for people, but if not I can certainly understand you choosing the lower paying one.

 

It's a lot different if you are raising a few children also. Then you don't always have the luxury of choosing the one you enjoy the most. Glad you have found a rewarding career, Dako.

[JadedStar]

Like your job and you will never work another day in your life...

[Dako]

I'm aware of working from need. I've done that, and would do it for children or to serve a purpose. I never found troweling a concrete warehouse floor very rewarding after 14 hours. LOL!

 

Often young people post in this forum wondering what to pursue, often equating a school major with a career identity. It just touches a nerve, I guess.

[Miss Firecracker]

How much more could you make doing the diamond grader thing? Is this something you did long ago or something you've never done?

[Dako]

Diamond grading pays well. It's a program to get certified, then work for a local trade group. My brother works at the company.

[Miss Firecracker]

So it's a little bit tempting?

 

I can see though, that it's MUCH more important to interact with people. I know that the less I am around people, the more unhealthy I get emotionally.

[CaptainPlanet]

I'm aware of working from need. I've done that, and would do it for children or to serve a purpose. I never found troweling a concrete warehouse floor very rewarding after 14 hours. LOL!

 

Often young people post in this forum wondering what to pursue, often equating a school major with a career identity. It just touches a nerve, I guess.

 

I hate warehouses. They're far to hot during summer.

[CaptainPlanet]

Often young people post in this forum wondering what to pursue, often equating a school major with a career identity. It just touches a nerve, I guess.

 

Cause in reality they've got no hope ?

[15 Storeys High]

Working is such a huge part of a persons life that they really should like their job. If you're miserable at work then you're miserable for 50% of your life, which is a tragedy.