Second Act

[Uccmal]

What about people who don't know what their dream is? People who have no passions?!

 

I am in that category. I don't really have a dream job. And I think most people are in some kind of situation like that. In fact I would say not knowing what you want to do in life is basically the story of everyone including teenagers and the very young. You basically never spend time on the problem your whole life. And there is no known way to solve it or even any advice.

 

There is also the question of whether a dream job even exists for most people. A job is doing the same thing, year after year. I find that concept boring.

 

But forget finding your dream. Lets crawl first before we walk. How about just not having to do something you hate?! Most people have a hard enough time figuring that out.

 

Taking your thesis a little further Rukawa: Up until 50 years ago, there was no such thing as following your passions.  We are evolved to survive and seek stability.  The most obvious way to do this is find stable employment and gain some measure of financial security. 

 

I dont believe there is such thing as a dream job.  Everything requires work after awhile, as Jurgis indicates.  Slash, whom I really admire as an awesome guitar player talks about playing twelve hours a day, and making himself sit down to practice when he really didn't want anything to do with the guitar.  Stevie Ray Vaughan would play literally to the point of pain.  Peoples needs and wants change. 

 

Your last line is most pressing. 

 

 

[LongHaul]

What about people who don't know what their dream is? People who have no passions?!

 

I am in that category. I don't really have a dream job. And I think most people are in some kind of situation like that. In fact I would say not knowing what you want to do in life is basically the story of everyone including teenagers and the very young. You basically never spend time on the problem your whole life. And there is no known way to solve it or even any advice.

 

There is also the question of whether a dream job even exists for most people. A job is doing the same thing, year after year. I find that concept boring.

 

But forget finding your dream. Lets crawl first before we walk. How about just not having to do something you hate?! Most people have a hard enough time figuring that out.

 

Rukawa,

 

I thought this was an exceptional book by Buffett's son, Peter Buffett.  I would highly recommend it to to anyone.  One of the major themes is finding your passion and I think it can only help anyone looking for more fullfillment with their career.  Peter Buffett quit college and went into music which was his passion. 

 

Life Is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment Paperback

 

Often you don't know if a career is for you until you do it.  As I have gotten older I have realized there are so many things in life that I just can't know or fully understand until I get my hands dirty and do them.  1.  There is just too much information, 2.  creating the full learning and processing can just take a lot of time.  3.  Sometimes emotional pain has to be felt to really sink in and create true understanding.  Entering a new field I think is similar - it's good to read books, talk to people, try it yourself as much as you can but ultimately you have to take the leap and learn to see if you will like it.

 

I can't tell you how many times I have made mistakes - with investing, business failures and even DIY mistakes.  I once cracked a rib trying to take a valve off a water heater.  But every time I learned a lot and for that it was worth it.  As the old saying goes experience is the best teacher.  Don't be afraid of getting out there and trying something.  We will all be dead one day.

 

 

As far as getting bored with a job.  I think it really helps to be fascinated with the area of the job.  If you are fascinated then there are really unlimited levels of understanding and knowledge.  The furthest level is where you are pushing on the boundary of what is currently in existence and inventing something totally new.  That can be a lot of fun thinking thoughts and making things that perhaps have never been done or realized before.

 

Wiring

I have  son and a daughter.  My son is obsessive and gets super into stuff one at a time - trains, robots, now it is gardening. 

My daughter has a lot of what I would call mild interests but nothing obsessive.  They are both raised in same house.  How much of this is gender related or wiring I just don't know.  Maybe some people are just wired to be totally obsessive about certain things and others are not.

 

My issue is kind of the opposite Rukawa.  I am a total business junkie and would love to pursue more ventures but I have to restrict myself to my time and human limits.  I can get stressed when I put too much on my plate and have to scale back.  My mind will run 24-7 on a problem that I find interesting.  Perhaps business and investing are just complex puzzles that interest me. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bog]

That was a great song back in the day...:)

 

 

I love this stream of thought.

 

My brother was a professional musician for a while, then did sales, now is a computer programmer.

 

I know the guy who wrote 867-5309 is now a programmer as well.

 

I've met a lot of people who worked in some professional career capacity and then were forced to or decided to branch out on their own.

 

What's interesting is I'd say the success rate for people starting their own companies after experience is probably MUCH higher than someone in their 20s who's trying to build something out of college.  Working in an industry or professionally for years builds a lot of operational experience as well as a large network.

[SharperDingaan]

You may want to consider that these things are NOT linear; you do not have to make your $ first - then do something else. 

This is just the way that most people (that we have heard about it) have approached it, and survivor bias is a significant overlay.

 

Most folks today, consider what they are going to 'do' in retirement - well before they get there. They also act on it, TODAY; typically through doing something extra-curricula - going back to school, volunteering, partnering in a small business, doing something different, music, etc. You make your $ and do something else AT THE SAME TIME - the strategic plan of work today, & figure out how you're going to do this four years from now.

 

Most folks work in jobs they are at best indifferent to; it pays the bills & puts something away for retirement - but is soul destroying. In many cases 'retirement day' was 'freedom' - but you were dead in under 5-10 years because you didn't know what to do with it. Dead from boredom via drink, obesity, or drugs. Today, that 'retirement day' is now earlier than many would prefer - and having that 'something else' to do has become a necessity, not a luxury.

 

Look around you at TODAY'S folks in their mid-50's, and outside of your social circle. I put it to you that a great many are NOT slowing down - IN ADDITION TO THE DAY JOB they are getting the bucket list things off the list, &/or are preparing for their new freedoms - as kids fly the nest &/or get pushed out. There aren't many years until the grand-kids arrive, you haven't had this degree of freedom since your kids were born, & most aren't about to piss it away.

 

These things are of course generational, & reflect the attitudes/mores of the times. To someone in their 70's this is complete BS - because it wasn't what they did, to someone in their mid 30's  its just plain 'duh'; different experiences. Your home country, &/or culture will also materially affect this.

 

All good!

 

SD 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LongHaul]

Great Post SD!