Shall I introduce myself as who I am now, or as who I hope to become?
In the near future… I am a fellow fulfilled, who leaps out of bed every morning full of enthusiasm for the day ahead. My work is an extension of my talents, values and interests. Some of my tasks are indistinguishable from “play.” In social settings, I gush about my work all the time.
I’m not a workaholic, no. I only work 40 hours a week. I’m just a guy whose work, interests, talents and values are in perfect sync. Outside of the office, I’m happy, relaxed and generous. That’s me… in the near future.
How do I get there from here? And what is this great career, anyway? What does it look like? And can I really give up my current trajectory, ill-fitting but secure, the one that pays all my bills and leads directly to a comfortable retirement?
In my present career… I am bored, disengaged, unfulfilled, not happy. Every day, I spend an inordinate amount of time goofing off. I put in just enough effort to get by. Evenings, I leave the office drained, discouraged, grumpy and dreading more of the same tomorrow.
Some days aren’t that bad. I don’t love my work but I’m good at it. I make a decent wage, I work for a good company in a growing industry, and at the office I have some very good friends. The barriers to egress are high. I’m comfortable.
How did I get like this? Is the job really the problem? Maybe I’m just a slacker with bad work habits. Should I just suck it up, get back to work and count the days ’til retirement? Could I maybe re-dedicate myself to my present career, learn to love it again?
This argument has been going around in my head forever. No longer. I can’t badger myself through 25 more years of work that I just don’t care about. Time for a sharp left turn. I’m going to look within, get really specific about what I love to do, what’s meaningful to me. I’m going to look out there, challenge my assumptions, do the research, see what the working world really has to offer. I’m going to design the perfect career for me, and then go out and get it. Starting now.
This is not about resumés and interviews. This is about getting to know myself really, really well; and exploring industries that I’ve never considered before; and designing the perfect career. By the time I actually apply for a job, this trip will be 90% complete.
I am starting this blog to put my journey out there, and to find others who are reinventing their working lives – or who want to. Inspiration needs a sounding-board (and misery loves company). Are you in the middle of a career one-eighty? Are you gathering courage to go after your dream job? Are you, like me, ready to pursue your true calling if only you knew what it was? Do drop me a line, I’d love to know you’re out there!
Check back soon. Coming in future posts:
- What’s my plan, anyway?
- What it’s like to be trapped in a good career
- I took a personality test… and failed.
- No one’s gonna pay me to do THAT!
4 responses so far ↓
David // October 1, 2008 at 10:33 am
This is an excellent blog. Really well-written too.
Like you, I’m still searching for the career that will meld my talents and interests with the ability to get paid a decent wage.
My first comment is a challenge to you: why 40 hours per week? If you are designing your perfect career, then why not 30 hours/week? Or 20? Maybe you won’t start at 30 and still make your decent wage, but why limit yourself at all at this stage? Expecting 40 hours per week already places a restriction on yourself. And if you find that ultimate work/life balance, 40 hours is way too much to be spending on work-related stuff.
My second comment is that retirement is over-rated. The whole notion that we can only start living once we’re old is ridiculous. If you’re not living your life to its fullest now, then how are you going to be able to do it when you retire? Most people who retire die soon after because they are so used to working, that they don’t know what to do with themselves. I’m in my 30’s. I want to find work that I love doing and have enough wealth equity that the work I do is more like play. In that scenario, I don’t have to wait at all to find my fulfillment.
And yes, I’m still working on it! (I’m curious to hear about your journey since mine is very similar).
Lastly, a bit of advice I read somewhere:
Go One Step at a Time
When beginning to work on self-improvement, just try to go against a negative trait in one small way. Any positive change is already a beginning. When you take that first step and make even a small change for the better, you have already begun transforming your entire makeup. You are taking control of yourself and your behavior. With persistence, you will go very far toward your ultimate destination.
Good luck and keep posting!
David
Johnny Oneiric // October 4, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Agreed David, 40 hours per week is too much! At the start of the industrial revolution, futurists predicted that automation would some day allow mankind to finally achieve Aristotle’s highest ideal: a life of LEISURE – time freed from the concerns of survival, spent in pursuit of the arts, philosophy, athletics, literature, music. It is mainly greed (and competition) which has kept us yolked to full-time work for the past 200 years, even though we modern humans could easily meet our basic needs for shelter, clothing, water, food and fuel in only 15 hours per week.
On the other hand one could argue that, had survival and leisure been our only goals, we never would have developed automation and modern conveniences in the first place.
Thanks for the kind words. I hope you’ll continue to share insights from your own career quest!
-Johnny O
Skip // October 15, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Interestingly (*another* alignment of stars) I went through a similar exercise when invited to a Dale Carnegie evening that a friend is involved in. Here’s mine (what they call your “perfect day”) …
IT IS DEC.15′08 AT 7AM AND I AM waking up with my wife and kids. I’m about to take 2 weeks off for Christmas and will only be working 2 days in that time to monitor my company.
I’m making $3000 / month of passive income — money that doesn’t require my presence or time to be made.
I will be returning after Christmas break to lauch a second program increasing my passive income by 50%.
After that successful launch I’ll now be working 4 days / week; leaving 3 days for my family.
I am setting goals and accomplishing them with focus. I am my definition of success — time to do what I want while my passive income provides the financial support to accomplish my, and my families, goals.
Enjoy!
Johnny Oneiric // October 16, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Is that $3000/month after tax?
The power of visualization! I love it. You imagined yourself being successful, and you were specific. I guess you spent some time every day visualizing this outcome.
Once I have worked out what I want to do exactly, I’ll definitely use this technique. Thanks Skip!
-Johnny O.