Job You Hate vs. Career You Love (Venting)

[Jabbe]

I don't know if it's just me, but people treat working a 9-5pm job you hate just to pay bills as normal and "the way life is supposed to go." I don't like that at all. I'm a 25yr old divorced ex college student who has held over 11 jobs. I learned that 9-5 just isn't and will never be for me.

 

My music career is launching very soon in Asia as an artist/producer for well known acts in their respected countries. The thing is that no one in my family ever got by without a normal job, so they don't really believe in what I'm doing. I don't care because I know that if I continue a normal job just for the sake of paying bills, I would never be happy. Music is my passion, I have to pursue that no matter what. It's the only thing in my life that feels mandatory. It's hard living with my parents and being in constant contact with major pop stars. I'm even being hired to reboot the career of a singer from the 80's. All they keep asking is "Where is the money?" First of all, they don't know how this business works and second they haven't taken the time to understand what I do, so why ask about MY money? All I care about is peace of mind and happiness. This is the only career than can give me both. Never cared about money. If I won the lottery tomorrow, my feelings wouldn't change.

 

If you can't be happy in life doing what you want, then I honestly and truly believe that there's no point whatsoever in living it.

 

It's like everyday that goes by someone tries to pressure me into changing my mind about what I've chosen to do. No way will I ever listen. It's my life and I'll do what I want with it for the sake of myself and no one else.

 

Some people work in warehouses, some people become doctors, and some people are talented. There's nothing wrong with any of these.

 

I don't try to make people understand or even tell them what I REALLY do on my free time. There's just no one around here I can relate to and just feel like a fish out of water.

[thejigsup]

Well, you've obviously never gone hungry, had your house or car repossessed, or saw your children go hungry or without clothes or you would understand why people work a job just for the money. I'm all for dreams, believe me. Just don't put down people who decided to put their dreams aside because their family needed them to. They are heroes to me.

[sjjohnson89]

I can relate to the you Jabbe. I hear what you get all the time as well, thing is, i can only follow my heart and my heart is where i am right now. If i were anywhere else i would be living in regret. There are of course circumstances that sometimes get forced upon us like as 'thejigsup' mentions, where we would have to work for the sake of paying bills. My life has no predictability or 'stability' in its future if someone asks me about it. Like, my best mate, is going to be finishing uni next year and will likely go into this job hes been getting a position in for the past year, there is 'stability' in his future. It depends on what we value or what are heart believes in the most. Some people work on logic, naturally go into a career or field of study for the sake of financial stability. Others follow there emotional side naturally, go where there passions are despite any obstacles that stand in there way like 'stability'.

 

My mum is someone who is naturally creative and loves the outdoors, she would had thrived on something like landscape gardening. Instead she got into the office line of work, worked for financial reason and for this sacrificed part of her, part of her soul as she would describe it. Some people thrive on office work though, the gossip etc, so to them it is not that bad. It really depends on who we are. The thing that i find amusing is how so many people knock those with dreams, 'oh you cant do that, what are the chances' or 'why would you do that when you may not make any money out of it?'. Yet, people love stories of people that do just this, pursue their dreams.

 

Im doing an arts degree currently, i love art but its more than that reason for me why i do it. I do it for very personal reasons, something that i simply have to do. It has really saved my life, art in all its forms. I deal with things emotionally/mentally that i can channel through processes within art. People say, 'why waste time painting, get a real job'. For one i dont paint (anymore) lol, but, more to the point these people misunderstand why it is i do it. Its not to create the 'art object', for instance what they are stereotyping me as is the typical artist painting 'pretty' pictures. Its for the process, its for psychological reasons, emotional reasons that i do it. This, is something i dont expect most people to understand, its something you have to be able to identify with in some way to understand.

 

We are all meant to walk different paths, the way we are all pushed and brainwashed into a specific order does get to me sometimes. It takes a lot of strength to stand up for what you believe in and go in your own direction in life. I would take following my heart over stability and predictability plain and simple, there is something beautiful about not knowing where i will be 10 years from now. That sounds like i live in the moment, but, in reality i live in the past and future, my mind always processing things. But, when i think about the future, its more where will i be emotionally? Its hard to explain so i wont go into it on somebody else's thread.

 

In regards to the OP, i respect you for following your passion. I hope you keep following it. As, when you reach your final hours on this earth, you wont look back and say 'oh, look how much money i earned', you want to be able to look back and say you followed your heart, and you had no regrets.

[Jabbe]

Well, you've obviously never gone hungry, had your house or car repossessed, or saw your children go hungry or without clothes or you would understand why people work a job just for the money. I'm all for dreams, believe me. Just don't put down people who decided to put their dreams aside because their family needed them to. They are heroes to me.

 

I completely understand this and am far from it. Wasn't knocking at all. Everyone goes through different things. I know there are people out there not in that type of situation and think "Get a degree" or "Get a job" and are forced to believe that their passions won't get them anywhere.

[thejigsup]

When you are young and single, that is exactly the time for you to follow your dreams. I did at that age and I never regretted it one little bit. Then I had a child and it wasn't all about me and my dreams anymore, it was all about him and his dreams. I couldn't make enough to support both of us on my dream job, so I gave up my dreams to give him a good, stable, home to grow up in. I never regretted that, either. Now he is grown and I am thinking about going back to my dream job. I might, I might not. As you age you become far more practical in your thinking. That is why I said go for your dreams now. It is a guaranteed fact that life will kick you in the teeth SOMETIME. That is when you take any job just to eat.

[Jabbe]

You nailed EXACTLY where I'm coming! People without such passion can't comprehend how we feel when we create. It makes me feel like nothing else in this world ever could. When I'm not writing, my mood changes drastically. It's like my entire identity is wrapped up in my passion. It is an extension of who I am.

 

This is my 3rd time moving back home, so I know all about financial obligations and blah blah blah. Having my own place was fine, but the stress to maintain was just not worth it. I don't need to get a place of my own just to stick my chest out and tell women. As far as people being brainwashed into certain things, I dislike that also which is why I don't mind being 25 living with my parents. My girlfriend is a CEO and she surely doesn't even care.

 

My friend is a mind blowing artist, but he tried to kill himself 3 times because he thinks he's going to be stuck working at W-Mart for the rest of his life. I keep trying to explain to him that he has great talent and can actually support himself from it if he just pursues it. He thinks life is working a job and being miserable. I'm trying to show him otherwise. Society has gotten to him.

 

In my situation, I've accumulated so much and so much anguish that I just woke up one day and said "You know what? I'm not gonna do this anymore." I say to my friends all the time that I don't want to be on my death bed wishing I had done things differently. There's no other skill and nothing else I even want to do.

 

I'm the same when thinking about the future. I think about how I want to feel and not where I want to be. All I want in life is happiness. That's all. Everyone has their own definition of that for sure.

 

I wish you all the best in life and hope you reach complete peace of mind!

[Fudgie]

Some people just want that 9-5 job because their dream is having a certain passion/hobby. Maybe they don't WANT to make it into a career.

 

My passion has always been Classical languages. But I never went into them, despite me studying them at college even more. Why? Because it doesn't pay. I'm sorry, I want to live in something that isn't a shoebox. So I'm pursung another passion, medicine. I'm graduating this year with a natural science degree and I'm going to work in the healthcare field and take care of others.

 

If people want to work a 9-5 job and it makes them the happiest, all the power to 'em. If people want to follow their dreams and they are happiest that way, then good for them. There is no "right" way here. It's a matter of preference.

[Jabbe]

You're right! It's understandable to do what you have to in order to support your child. If I had one, I'm sure I would work as much as I could. Things would be different, and I would have far less time to do what I do now. I'm in debt up to my ears and its not realistic in my mind to go back to working two jobs being depressed to pay it off. Debt will always be there. Bills will always need to be paid. I don't walk around like I'm invincible either. I know I could die anytime I even hop into my car. Life is precious to me and it's why I feel like I have to squeeze what it is I want out of it before I die. Just can't have it any other way.

[Jabbe]

Some people just want that 9-5 job because their dream is having a certain passion/hobby. Maybe they don't WANT to make it into a career.

 

My passion has always been Classical languages. But I never went into them, despite me studying them at college even more. Why? Because it doesn't pay. I'm sorry, I want to live in something that isn't a shoebox. So I'm pursung another passion, medicine. I'm graduating this year with a natural science degree and I'm going to work in the healthcare field and take care of others.

 

If people want to work a 9-5 job and it makes them the happiest, all the power to 'em. If people want to follow their dreams and they are happiest that way, then good for them. There is no "right" way here. It's a matter of preference.

 

I agree also. I see that it depends on wants too. All passions and goals are very different. I'm sure some people are so passionate about shoes that they would be happy working at Foot Locker forever. No dream is better than another. Need to add that I'm not blasting 9-5ers. It's just not for me. We can all agree that we can't live without money for sure. Kinda sucks reading that back to myself.

 

Early congrats for your graduation!

 

I'm an extremely simple guy. I don't really have wants in terms of type of house, car, etc. Breathing has always been just fine with me lol

[Jabbe]

Just wanted to thank you all for enlightening me with your perspectives! I really needed to talk about that. It's now one less thing burning in my mind.

[Fudgie]

Glad to have helped.

 

Like you, I'm not too worried about having all the nice things. I would just like a place to live with the things I need and some of the things I want. With Classics, I accepted early that the amount of money coming in wasn't the issue - more that I wouldn't be able to have a job at all. No one teaches this stuff anymore.

 

As long as someone is happy, that's all that matters.

[chitown9]

Music is my passion, I have to pursue that no matter what. It's the only thing in my life that feels mandatory. It's hard living with my parents and being in constant contact with major pop stars.

 

What you need to realize is that you are only able to pursue your dream because you are still living with your parents...

[sjjohnson89]

Just wanted to thank you all for enlightening me with your perspectives! I really needed to talk about that. It's now one less thing burning in my mind.

 

Good luck with everything Jabbe, its nice to come accross someone who sees things in a similar light as im sure youve found too, its a rare thing.

[sjjohnson89]

What you need to realize is that you are only able to pursue your dream because you are still living with your parents...

 

Not true. Im not living with my parents and i have a similar outlook to Jabbe, it just makes things easier in some ways for him, having that support i suspect. Its not a bad thing, in many ways its a good thing as it gives him a roof while he tries to set his sights on what he wants.

[thejigsup]

And one day it will be your house that your child is living in so that they can pursue their dreams. Wanting a simple life is fine, until you have someone else to consider. That is when 9 to 5 starts to look palatable, heck, even good! Have fun and good luck to you, but remember, if you fall short of your dreams, there is always life and a good one waiting for you.

[sjjohnson89]

And one day it will be your house that your child is living in so that they can pursue their dreams. Wanting a simple life is fine, until you have someone else to consider. That is when 9 to 5 starts to look palatable, heck, even good! Have fun and good luck to you, but remember, if you fall short of your dreams, there is always life and a good one waiting for you.

 

Its not always about 'achieving' your dreams, most people have them at some stage in life and often lose sight of them along the line. Sometimes these people find themselves with responsibilities such as a family that simply ties them down completely. Sometimes people give up too easily and get bogged down psychologically by pressures from their peers and society. The point is to follow your heart, what feels right to you, this wont always lead us to our 'dream'. But you will lead a life without regret, a life with hope and some sense of self.