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I know what I want to do but have no chance at doing it. I have an INTP personality and am very intelligent and technically minded. I study science and math in my spare time. I'd make a great scientist or engineer but I don't have the resources to go back to college. So I just settle for work that a chimp could do. But it pays the bills and let's me have a little fun away from work. You just have to make up for the crap work gives you while you're away from work.
Thanks It makes me feel glad to know that I'm not the only person who feels this way and that you found something you don't hate doing.
You know what? Is that what life should be? Finding something you 'don't hate' doing? I feel like that's what most people these days pretty much say whenever I mention wanting to find my passion. Words like 'tolerate' and 'just a job' and 'that's why they call it work' are just so depressing. It makes me just livid that this is what we've come to as a human race. Really? That's why we're here? To tolerate whatever we choose to spend most of our lives doing? ...ugh...
You know what? Is that what life should be? Finding something you 'don't hate' doing? I feel like that's what most people these days pretty much say whenever I mention wanting to find my passion. Words like 'tolerate' and 'just a job' and 'that's why they call it work' are just so depressing. It makes me just livid that this is what we've come to as a human race. Really? That's why we're here? To tolerate whatever we choose to spend most of our lives doing? ...ugh...
You know what? Is that what life should be? Finding something you 'don't hate' doing? I feel like that's what most people these days pretty much say whenever I mention wanting to find my passion. Words like 'tolerate' and 'just a job' and 'that's why they call it work' are just so depressing. It makes me just livid that this is what we've come to as a human race. Really? That's why we're here? To tolerate whatever we choose to spend most of our lives doing? ...ugh...
To a lot of people it is "just a job" or "just a paycheck". They can completely seperate work and non-work, so it doesn't bother them.
Who exactly do you expect to pick up your garbage? Or deliver your mail? Or any number of jobs that you sure as heck aren't going to find too many people who put that on their "things I really want to do" list.
I know exactly what you're talking about, Violett. That has been my biggest problem in my adult life. I don't enjoy anything I've ever done. The best I can say about any job is that I liked the people I've worked with. When I was in 8th grade we took aptitude tests and I "disliked" or "strongly disliked" everything. My teacher even joked about it. I was the only one that had not aptitude or interest in anything.
This has lead to nothing but frustration in my adult years, especially the time I spent taking college courses. I always felt like I was wasting my time because nothing interested me.
But here's the kicker...that's life. Most people don't do what they like. The folks who get paid to do something they enjoy are the fortunate few. Keep searching though. I hope you and I and those like us find solace in something.
Like many Americans, I find myself unemployed and I'm getting unemployment. But, my problems are not about lack of work.
It is with a heavy heart when I apply to jobs, because I'm unhappy with the line of work I'm in. The bad side to this is that I went back to school to get my Master's Degree in what I was doing, but I'm not sure I want to do it anymore.
I've picked up "What Color is Your Parachute" along with a few other self-help books regarding choosing a career, but nothing jumps out at me. I'm dying to THROW myself into a career that I want, the problem is, I don't know what career or line of work I want to do. It's not that I want to avoid work - I'm DYING to build my career, to go out into the world and make my mark, to become someone doing SOMETHING, the problem is, I don't know what that something is.
I worked as a headhunter a few years back, so I'm aware of the vast array of jobs available (when you can find them). The problem is, I just don't have a strong passion for anything. What do you do when you don't have a passion for any line of work?
Has anyone been in this predicament before? How did you solve it?
With a Master's degree under your belt, you may consider joining the Peace Corp. A close friend of our family finished his BA degree in 2008. Not being able to find suitable work, he joined the Peace Corp. He was sent to Niger for 2 years where he taught English. Late in 2010 he rejoined, and will be spending another 2 years in Mozambique.
I got to talk with him while he was in town visiting his family last year. He told me that, despite the obvious drawbacks of living abroad - and in a 3rd world country - the experience has been deeply rewarding for several differerent reasons.
Again, these are not your regular run-of-the-mill lines of work. Like several others, it's an under-promoted field which is outside the proverbial "box." They require a little research to find.
I know exactly what you're talking about, Violett. That has been my biggest problem in my adult life. I don't enjoy anything I've ever done. The best I can say about any job is that I liked the people I've worked with. When I was in 8th grade we took aptitude tests and I "disliked" or "strongly disliked" everything. My teacher even joked about it. I was the only one that had not aptitude or interest in anything.
This has lead to nothing but frustration in my adult years, especially the time I spent taking college courses. I always felt like I was wasting my time because nothing interested me.
But here's the kicker...that's life. Most people don't do what they like. The folks who get paid to do something they enjoy are the fortunate few. Keep searching though. I hope you and I and those like us find solace in something.
The above underlined statement is generally true in my experience.
I happened to acquire some hard earned skills while in the military which I was not about to squander. After getting out of the military, I made it my goal to obtain as many certifications, licenses, and association memberships as I could get my hands on; all of which required in-depth technical training. I guess the amount of time and exposure to the field created in me a sense of passion and dedication to the trade.
I can honestly say that I love what I do because each day - from the discards of society - I get to create a useful/valuable commodity (i.e., electricity). I do it to the best of my abilities and, despite some inherent drawbacks, I look forward to coming to work six (6) days per week.
Like many Americans, I find myself unemployed and I'm getting unemployment. But, my problems are not about lack of work.
It is with a heavy heart when I apply to jobs, because I'm unhappy with the line of work I'm in. The bad side to this is that I went back to school to get my Master's Degree in what I was doing, but I'm not sure I want to do it anymore.
I've picked up "What Color is Your Parachute" along with a few other self-help books regarding choosing a career, but nothing jumps out at me. I'm dying to THROW myself into a career that I want, the problem is, I don't know what career or line of work I want to do. It's not that I want to avoid work - I'm DYING to build my career, to go out into the world and make my mark, to become someone doing SOMETHING, the problem is, I don't know what that something is.
I worked as a headhunter a few years back, so I'm aware of the vast array of jobs available (when you can find them). The problem is, I just don't have a strong passion for anything. What do you do when you don't have a passion for any line of work?
Has anyone been in this predicament before? How did you solve it?
Ask yourself..."If there wasn't a salary involved, what would I do for free?" The secret is to find what you are passionate ABOUT... not what you want to do for a living.
If you love animals or children or books or knitting or planting flowers or birdwatching more than anything else in the world, then take that as your cue where you need to set your path. Lucky is the person who can do this and make a living, but with the right mindset and lots of tenacity, you can do it.
JMHO, this is a dangerous way to think. Been there. If you keep waiting for that perfect, all-fulfilling "magical something" to pop into your head, you may spend your life waiting. Look at changing your mindset - if you only think of your jobs as settling, you may be blind to the possibilities they hold and the doors they can open up. Be practical, especially in this economy. You have to eat. The best insights and opportunities generally come from unexpected places, when you're not desperately searching for them.
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Originally Posted by subject2change
I'm not sure what you want us to tell you. Perhaps friends who know your strengths weaknesses and interests could help you better. I know you said you don't have much extra money, but a few sessions with a life coach, or career counselor might be in order.
You said you can't keep on doing unfulfilling work, but as someone said, you have to eat. Many, many people spend decades doing work that doesn't thrill them and have to look for small parts of their job that are fulfilling, to keep as positive as they can. I'm sorry we can't give you a magical answer but this is just a fact of life. As I said earlier, maybe someday you'll stumble on that really great thing you want to do. Like love it could turn up where and when you least expect it. But for now you may just have to keep settling. What is the alternative?
I'm not "waiting" in the sense that I refuse to work until something "magically" pops into my head. I AM going to have a job for the time being, but I would really like to find that thing that I love doing. As far as not looking for it and waiting to stumble into it, I've been waiting for 10+ years and that has not happened. I don't want to wait my whole life, what if it never happens?
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Originally Posted by Bondurant
I know exactly what you're talking about, Violett. That has been my biggest problem in my adult life. I don't enjoy anything I've ever done. The best I can say about any job is that I liked the people I've worked with. When I was in 8th grade we took aptitude tests and I "disliked" or "strongly disliked" everything. My teacher even joked about it. I was the only one that had not aptitude or interest in anything.
This has lead to nothing but frustration in my adult years, especially the time I spent taking college courses. I always felt like I was wasting my time because nothing interested me.
But here's the kicker...that's life. Most people don't do what they like. The folks who get paid to do something they enjoy are the fortunate few. Keep searching though. I hope you and I and those like us find solace in something.
I try to remember that it is only in a few recent years and a very few places in the world where people can even consider choosing work for which they are passionate. It's a very rarified thing. I am two generations away from a dockworker who didn't speak English and died of pneumonia before antibiotics hit the general market, and his wife, who had two years of school, worked in a box factory and cleaned houses.
I also fall into wanting a passion for something where I can make my living. I'm 58, have done more things and been more places regarding work than I care to disclose, and have come to realize that I don't have a passion for anything that I must do for certain numbers of days or hours in order to have a roof over my head and food on the table.
I do something I am eager to retire from (4-5 years?) and it does pay for my passions. I learned that I really really need a sense of home, having not had it before. I really enjoy adopting senior dogs, and it means a lot to me to be able to give money to groups that are doing work I cannot do and want to support. I also find spending vacation on the back of a horse out West means a lot to me. (And yes, I have run through living out there to be there "on vacation" all the time).
In my mind, often what looks like a passion for some sort of work is actually an unhealthy investment on the part of the worker- having invested one's sense of self-worth and value in the performance of the job. This doesn't seem to help them to do a good job, but it sure makes them hard to work with.
That said, having a job one hates is undoable. I worked as a tech writer for two years, and dreaded every day. I hated leaving at five because I knew it would only be so many hours before I had to do it again. That truly is not a good way to live. But I do think wanting to "LOVE" one's work and feel your life purpose in it can lead to "the perfect being the enemy of the good."
I've always said to any young person wanting to love what they do, "I wish you the best of luck. It's hard to arrange, but some people can do it. You also have to admit to yourself when you just aren't gonna pull it off, whether you have a passion for some activity or not."
Best wishes.
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It makes me feel glad to know that I'm not the only person who feels this way and that you found something you don't hate doing.
