What are you going to do with your life?????

If I was perfectly honest, I'd tell you I hate my job. Not because it is difficult (it isn't), but more because it is boring. I fell into this line of work a long time ago, and I simply can't escape it. I tried when I retired from the Air Force, but a simple call saying "Hey Jim, want to travel the world for way too much money?" couldn't be ignored. I did that for five years, but after two I was ready to quit. You can only see so much of the world, one week at a time, before you realize that a Sheraton is a Sheraton, regardless of the face on the bill you used to pay for it.

My oldest son is in the Navy, and is doing amazing well at it....but I can't help thinking he'd still rather be playing bass in a band.

My wife is about to retire from the Air Force, and will probably accept the best playing job offer rather than the one that she would truly love. Then again, there aren't too many high paying "rock my baby all day" jobs out there.

The only one that seems truly happy with his career choice is my youngest son. He may not be totally enamored with the current restaurant he cooks for, but I do know he absolutely loves the idea of being a chef the rest of his life. Heck, forget "chef"....he simply loves cooking.

I do have friends that love what they do too. One is a world famous author, and he simply loves writing. He would write for free if he didn't get paid for it. Lucky is any man who gets paid WELL for doing something he'd gladly do for free.

So some people do what they love doing, but I don't think most of my friends fall in to this category. Most of them are doing what pays well enough to allow them to live a somewhat normal existence, and are miserable doing it. I'm not miserable, but I think I could be happier doing something else for less. I just don't have a clue what that something else might be.

One friend said "Move to Vegas and play poker for a living". Yeah....sounds great in theory. Then I talk to or read about people that actually do that. It is a terrible life filled with mostly "how I got broke" stories. The more popular names like Daniel, Phil and Doyle don't actually play poker for a living. They play poker to gather the endorsements that pay for their lives. They play big named poker tournaments for the exposure of playing, and for the exposure they would get if they win. The money is totally secondary.

For example, Phil Ivey won a tournament at the World Series of Poker this year, and gave the entire first place check to the dealers as a tip. So he wasn't exactly playing to put food on the table. In fact, he won signifantly more money than the tournament prize by betting his friends that he WOULD win the tournament.

It is like seeing an actor who starred in a $500,000,000 blockbuster last year in an off-off-Broadway play. He says it is "because I want to get back in touch with the stage". Yeah, right. Why not just say "I've got more money now than I will ever be able to spend so I'm trying to look more humble"? That would at least be honest. And you know what? When you act on that off-Broadway stage, you are taking money away from a struggling actor who could have used the job you took.

So if I'm not able to play my real passion, poker, for a living, then what else could I do besides what I do right now? Honestly, I have no idea. I have never even considered the possibilities in any serious manner. I just keep showing up, doing what they pay me to do, and going about my life.

Outside of work, the life is pretty good now. And the job supports that in no small manner. So it isn't all bad. It is just boring. Boring simply isn't much of a living, regardless of the financial reward.

Comments

henrywestonkids said…
It would be nice if we could all just do what we "like" and get paid what we need while doing it. If I could just sell purses and make enough to support my entire family, pay all of our bills, and still be able to have fun..that would be perfect. I'd much rather do something that was something I looked forward to doing everyday. It's just hard to live on what we like to do. Money sucks..it's no good and I hate it! I need it to live, but when you don't have it..it makes you mad. I haven't thought of what I'm going to do with my life until recently because my kids are older and I shouldn't be a stay at home mom when they aren't home. I don't want to look like a lazy bum..so trying to make money is my goal everyday. A person like me..who didn't finish art school and didn't go to college..is only qualified to work at Walmart maybe. I don't want to be the old fart working behind the deli counter making all the people wait on their salami! So I'm finding something I can do, that I like to do and I'm going to make some money at it..dang it! LOL Life is too short to hate what you are doing..be carefree, positive, and just go out and find out what makes you happy. If you're happy..your life will be good! We are all going to die one day, right..do it now while you still can!!! If you like playing poker..do it! Who knows..you might win all the time! My 2 cents.
11:04 AM
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