Life's Burning Question #101

[BoyEngland]

Well after coming home from work, I've been doing a lot of thinking. I know me thinking is a public health hazard, but I can't avoid it.

(Go to bottom of post for a "summary")

I've already asked some members via AIM, but here is the big one: In life, should you do what you are good at, or do what you want to do? I am also adding in there that doing what you want to do is an all or nothing option.

Also, if any of you have actually done one of those two (done what you are good at or done what you wanted), it would be nice to hear about some of the outcomes you got. Some people have probably found a nice niche between the two, share experiences!

In my case, I have the following options. I continue doing a computer course in college (what I am good at), progress to doing in in University, and then go on to sitting at a desk staring at a screen for the rest of my life. Alternatively, I can do what I have always wanted to do (something in the Police) and just hope it works out. If it doesn't work out, I don't have a University level education to fall back on, only college. If it does work out, I will be doing my "dream job" and can be bringing home a decent paycheck at the end of it.

Some of you may remember I looked into the scenes of crime (English CSI) a while back and was pretty much one step away from joining. The reason I didn't is because I had people in my ear telling me to go to University and be a regular 9-5 desk jockey. Now, I want to make my own decision (with advice of-course) and go with something a little more challenging.

I do realise I'm not even 19 years old yet and do have the rest of my life in front of me, but the Police look towards youth nowadays since it's a lifelong career.

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So basically: Do I continue my education in computers, or take a chance on something completely different with the known risk it may or may not work out?

[/emo]

[Snoman]

You could look for a computer related job in law enforcement, I'm sure there are plenty.

[Boba.Fatt]

Here's the facts from Uncle Boba.

You're 18. You are legally retarded and the chances of knowing what you want out of life are as slim as army ant's penor.

No matter what you choose to do, happiness is a big part. Unfortunetly so is stupid money. The best advice would be to take the route which gives you the best opportunity for professional growth and at the same time gives you an out to explore something else in the future.

Like I said, you're 18. You're not supposed to know anything except for excitement/confusion about wtf you plan on doing for the rest of your life. No matter what you do, enjoy your life through this normal transitional stage. You'll never be this young and ignorant again.

Ask yourself what you would like to look back on when you're sitting in a hospital bed watching someone change your diaper. What do YOU want out of life. I graduated college with a BS in Nuclear Medicine technology and a double minor in psychology and health care administration. So what did I do after college? I detailed Mercedes Benzs' for 4 years because hospitals and health related places gave me the creeps. It's OK to change direction at any time. It's usually better than sticking it out and being unhappy.

When I was 25 I went for career counseling because my only desire was to drink as much as my body could physically hold. One of the last careers I should have considered, according to the tests I took, was teaching. That's when I said "oh yeah?" and started teaching. Ten years later, I love helping others who so desperately need it. The ultimate challenge in this cess pool of a society these days is motivating our youth to want to do something other than texting and waiting to sue somebody. Yes there are plenty of careers that are challenging, but teaching is without a doubt the LAST one most people would ever consider. I do it because I can make a difference, as little as it may be, amongst the horror of being set up to fail before classes even begin.

Times change. People change. Motivations change. Even the greatest brain surgeon who loves their job will have trouble making money when the last of our kind succumbs to what I call brain abduction. Society today is sucking the ability to think out of our heads and what will the surgeon do when there is nothing left to work on. I guess I'm saying to always keep options open with regards to career choices. Those who can't adapt to changing times will fail to be successful. I wonder what I'm going to do when overhead digital projectors hooked up to laptops and Smartboards take over the teaching jobs. All a lesson needs is one successful and visually engaging powerpoint show and the teachers job is unnecessary. Every year I get written up by the principal for refusing to incorporate technology in my lessons and every year I tell her the same thing. "Why must I use something that costs a ton of money, most of which is going into your third houses mortgage, that will take over my job leaving me on the streets with my family? I can't get colored f***ing chalk but a $10,000 computer screen that you can touch (ooh la la) will be mounted in my room in september? I'm getting carried away so I'm just going to shut it now.

Summary......
Whatever path you choose, if you pour your heart and soul into it, you will be a success. Even if it doesn't pan out, you will always know that you gave it everything you had. Regret is the worst feeling to live with.

And one last thing...
Summers off RULE!!!!!!!

[Sypher]

Get a degree in something you're good at, then try to do what you want?

Work ain't work if you're doing something you like. A lot of well off people are miserable because they hate their jobs. But it would be a good idea to have something to fall back on. ;-)

[BoyEngland]

Originally Posted by Boba.Fatt

Summary......
Whatever path you choose, if you pour your heart and soul into it, you will be a success. Even if it doesn't pan out, you will always know that you gave it everything you had. Regret is the worst feeling to live with.

Well that's pretty much what has driven me to make the choice. The reference to laying in a hospital bed in years to come is by biggest thing. I don't want to sit there thinking about what I could have done, I want to sit there knowing my life was good, I enjoyed what I did, and I'm not going to get buried in a cardboard box because I made the wrong career choice.

Snowman's suggestion about mixing the two is what I will probably end up doing, but I still don't know if it's the right thing. Although I love using computers, physical Police work is the only physical work that appeals to me.

If I go down the SOC/CSI path, I suppose I will be mixing the two in the best way possible. Going out and scraping dead bodies off the streets, then going back and using a computer to do the cleaner side of things.

Boba, you sound a bit like my Uncle. He was pretty much forced into being a Chef by his brother. He then made the decision to go back to University and graduated with a computing degree and got first class honours. Now he spends 2 days a week at home (plus weekends) and the other 3 he plays laser tag in the local council's server room. For all his trouble, he gets some nice cash.

[Big Red 11]

Originally Posted by Sypher

Work ain't work if you're doing something you like.

I don't think so at all.

England, take Boba's advice and do what you feel will make you happy. You really only have on commodity - time - and it's how you choose to spend it that matters most. I would rather be doing something I love and making just enough to get by rather than working 9 to 5 and hating myself while putting money away.

As far as the 9 to 5 cubicle grind, I've been doing it for 3 months now and I can solidly say that, even though I've made enough money to fund booze and some cool stuff for the next year of college, it has been absolutely mind-numbing. I can't imagine how people do this for years and years.

[kevinXcore]

Go for the computers.
Money=Happiness

Not really. Complete college. Then go for Law Enforcement. This way, you can fall back on computers if being an Officer of the Law doesn't work out for you.

[wammy_bar]

well this applies to my life a lot. I really want to go to college for psychology because it is so interesting, and while it would be appropriate for me, I would really rather get into the music business because I am good at it.

[Z3CH]

Boba. You are my hero. That was some great advice you just gave.

I think you should really go for what you like first. The idea of waking up every day dreading the hours of work you have to do kills me. I would never want to do something I don't like doing. When you talk to people that love their jobs, it really motivates you more to be happy than to worry about money.

[SuperYooper]

Finish your current schooling. Then try Law enforcement. Ill bet you can mix the two at some point. It is extremely rare these days for a guy to work for the same company for thirty years. Let alone the same field. As boba said, you are young and may not have any idea what you will do in the end. You may do both what you want and what you know.....and then realize that you dont want to do either. Lifes a rude road, watch out for the curves.