At 20 years old.. What were your thoughts?

[Shlade]

Mostly for the older fellas in their later to early 30`s. But really anybody can answer.

Did you have a tough time deciding or wondering what youd do in life? What your purpose is and what kind of things your good at?

Im hitting the weird stage of constantly wondering what I could do.. Some friends got talents with body work, mechanical work, computers and the list goes on.. Im seriously yet to discover what im good at.. And its seriously putting me in a depressive state.

What kind of paths did you guys take? What did you guys do? Travelling seems to be something that I could see myself possibly doing.. Buy a 1 way ticket to Europe and backpack and go try and work for places to get by for a while and see what happens from there. I cant figure out for the life of me what I want to do. Where to start and all that garbage..

So chime in. Share your story of how you started your life, what you did.. What you do now and how you got there and figured you were actually good at it...

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

I'm a month and 3 days into being 20. Second year AST student at SAIT, currently looking for another car/cars, going to hopefully be working as a full time apprentice once this year is over. I want to do something else with my life in the future though so I think 4-6 years from now I will go to university or something else.

[Shlade]

Im 19 and i have no idea what I want to do.

I have a tiny idea but Im not going to be able to get into it. Life is truly a bitch..

[bourge73]

You have lots of time to figure things out man. Me? I didnt really "know/or figure out what the hell I was doing" or become "successful" until my late twenties. When I was young I just traveled and lived life. Honestly get out there man, you'll never be that age ever again and you also wont be able to do whatever you want ! Its when you dont have a mortage, kids, wife, full time gig and when you can make mistakes and say "Fak it I was 19!" I say go explore the world, meet new people. The whole figure yourself out thing wont happen until you actually start to experience life and start living.

[speedog]

Started my first career at 19 and went for 26.5 years working for a large telecommunications provider, am now on my second career and loving it as an entrepreneur. Moved around a lot in my first career at that corporation performing probably 10 different jobs over those 26.5 years. In my second life/career, it was a completely about face turn from what I had done before - am nowa small business owner that's in retail sales now. Before I was strictly in telecom techie/engineering and some management positions - what I do now has come about strictly as a result of being tired of working for a large corporation and really taking a large (and financially risky) step out of my comfort zone - all well worth it. Don't regret those 26.5 years at a large corporation as they taught me plenty of management and people skills which I still utilize on a daily basis. Best advice is to do the best job at whereever you're employed - slacking off only will cheat the company you're working for and also yourself. Only people who truly put the effort in will get noticed and get the associated respect from their peers and superiors.

[scboss]

There is no rush to decide, I am 25 now and I just went back to school this fall. Dont rush it or you will end up wasting alot of cash. It took a while for me to decide what i wanted to take but it has to do with what you like to do. I suggest take your favorite hobby and try to make a career that relates to it.

[sr20s14zenki]

I didnt decide to take on my career in welding till i was 23....4 years too late IMO, i spent alot of time at a few places to get my feet wet in the work world before i decided. Youll figure it out.

[Graham_A_M]

At 15 I knew how much work sucked, so I read endless amounts of books about real estate investing and business.

When I was 17, I pioneered my own car & home audio company, only to fall flat on my ass, after finding out how brutally un-receptive Calgarians are to new products & companies.
Even though my stuff would BLOW away anything by Bose, (& countless brands) and compete with brands/line ups that were 2 & 3 times more expensive, people still wanted the brands they've heard of.

At 23, thanks to laws we have in Canada, you need a decent down deposit to purchase properties to be used as rental properties. So I figured I'd go into the oil patch and use the money I got in there to fund these rental properties. Only to be banned from the field (Im a diabetic). Dejected I came here.
Now at 28, Im really in the midst of figuring out what to do... These next few months will prove interesting.
After visiting Italy this spring, Im trying hard to secure a residency in the European Union, so I can live in Italy.


EDIT: What I'd recommend for you? Travel, experience the world, live life.
I think a great idea would be for you to start your own business, that way you'll learn a lot about you, and what you're good at. Not only that, but if you're smart it can obviously be MUCH to your benefit.

But visit a few foriegn countries, and get a feel for what different careers there are, and what you'd want to go into.

[alieno1]

I got into construction at an early age, finished high school at 20 and then continued working in construction until 29 and now I'm tired of construction so I'm going back to school and hopefully get into the Instrumentation field. I feel a lot more mature than I was when I was 20 and far more confident in myself.

Like people on here say, just take some time off and think about it. Take your time. But don't take too long or you will be 40 years old before you now it and wonder where your life went. :eek:

[Spoons]

I'm 21. I know EXACTLY what you are going through. It's hard, and a lot of people at this age feel the exact same way. We are young, we just realized that this world is huge and we are small, with far too many possibilities on things to do and not nearly enough time to do them all.

I was depressed as well, got down, didn't really know exactly why, and it's simply because you feel as though you are being counter-productive. This isn't the case. To be honest most people don't know what they want to do until they are far later in their 20's. I want to do it all, but I know I can't, so figuring out what I want to do is really tough. I have the mental capacity to do anything (I feel/been told numerous times) but like I said, I can't. Do I know what I want to do now? Fuck no. But that is the joys of life... The uncertainty.

What did I do to get myself out of that slump? Firstly, and this isn't completely recommended, I smoked weed. Weed opened my mind, calmed me down a bit, and seems to make my thoughts clearer. Maybe counter-productive for most, but it helped for me. Secondly, TAKE A TRIP! Not just any trip, move somewhere for a bit. I went out to Squamish by myself with nothing waiting for me except a place to stay. It was exhilerating. It was during the Olympics, had a fucking blast, and came back to Calgary feeling much better. Yes it was expensive, but worth every fucking penny. I only stayed out there for 3 months as I felt I was ready to come back after that, but it helped so much.

Live life, have fun, and don't worry. Sure some people say that if you just keep doing nothing your going to end up as nothing but I feel as though that is a pretty shitty way to look at it. You spend more time working than at play throughout life, and you work to make money to have fun, so you work more so you can afford more fun, but have less time to have that fun. Fuck that, do what you want, we are young, and let the worries handle themselve. I know a lot of people are not going to agree with me, but I can gaurantee I have much less stress in my life than them.

My world is a complicated place, but my views on life and how I feel about it is like none other. I've got a firm belief on what life is, and I can tell you, I won't be following no rat race.

Live, don't think.

[Dumbass17]

Good Luck Man, you're still so young!
I am 26 now and I still have absolutely no clue what I want to be doing with my life...I've been hoping to figure that out since I was 19.

In 2002, I graduated HS, went to Europe with 4 friends for 2 months and then came back to Canada and worked for a year.
Then still clueless I took General Studies at SAIT for a year, that didn't help. So I, took more time off working and trying to figure out life/partying/spending all my money haha.
Then went back to SAIT in 2005 and got a diploma of civil engineering tech. I worked up until March 2010 when finally I just had enough and the travel bug was biting too hard, so I said screw it, I'm going to travel. So I did, and I still sort of am. I'm in Oz now and I just got laid off by my employer (still doing civil eng tech related stuff: drafting) so I have some free time, going to travel the coast and then just fruitpick and stuff. I have been hoping to realize my 'calling' or 'career interest' while on this trip but still nothing yet. I have very little interest in engineering and am just doign it for the paycheck. So I know how you're feeling about being "counter-productive" or whatever. Some mornings I wake up thinking 'man i don't wan't want to work today, i don't care about engineering' and then others i go for a morning surf and all i can think is 'fuck it, i'll do this job if i can just surf every morning'
uhm, so that got off topic, sorry, i was in my own la-la-land.
But just travel man, there's nothing better. I have so many friends back home that bought houses or have kids or are in long term relationships that are all so jealous of me because they'll never be able to do something like this.
I fully don't expect to return to Canada for a few years, it's quite a great feeling.

Now, what was the question?

Nah, just try random jobs man. They may not help you figure out what you WANT to do, but they'll sure as hell help you figure out what you do NOT WANT to do. I've had over 25 jobs so far and I can scratch many 'i think i could do that as a job's off my potential career list.

[Danish]

Originally posted by warcaster
There is no rush to decide, I am 25 now and I just went back to school this fall. Dont rush it or you will end up wasting alot of cash. It took a while for me to decide what i wanted to take but it has to do with what you like to do. I suggest take your favorite hobby and try to make a career that relates to it.

This! You spend a lot of your life working, if you can find something you enjoy doing and turn it into a career that you're passionate about, there will be no stopping you!

[jsn]

I felt that way at 20 too. I absolutely hated what I was taking in University at the time. I know alot of people after highschool go traveling or work random jobs to figure out what they want to do, but I wasn't sure I'd want to go back to school after enjoying freedom so I went straight to Uni after highschool. If you're considering going to school, I recommend taking courses from a few faculties to figure out what you like. I hated chemistry which is what I went into straight out of highschool. Took a course from geology when I was in my third year, liked it, now I'm graduating next semester. I'm 24 btw.

[Aleks]

I went into Engineering right after High School. Graduated in 2004, been working in Oil and Gas ever since. So I guess at 20 I knew I was going to hopefully have a career as a P. Eng.

Try to figure out what you want to do but still have fun, travel, do all the crazy things you want to do now. It's much easier to do those things now than later in life.

[Abeo]

I was in engineering in uni at 20, it sucked badly at the time and I was wondering where this would all end up. I stuck at it, graduated, only to get a job driving a truck (back east).

What helped me the most was a mentor, who helped me get myself in the right direction and in the right mindset. It really helped me get my mind around that this is a big world, and the only thing holding you back is you. I got rid of no-good friends, and moved across the country... now things have never been this good.

Best thing I can tell you, is take some time to find yourself, and wishing doesn't get you anywhere; go out and do it.

[JimmyBurner]

By far the best thread on Beyond. Every post is sincere and coming from experience and knowledge. I'm in the exact position as you Shlade. Wasted time and money on something I didn't want to do, but now am starting to figure out what I'm good at. The BEST thing someone in this thread said: Don't rush or you'll end up wasting a lot of cash. I rushed into schooling for something I thought I liked, and wasted a bunch of money on it. Now I "owe" 15 grand for knowledge that I essentially won't use, and 2 years of my life are gone.

But no regrets whatsoever. I'm glad I figured this out now, when I'm single, young, and have some money in the bank, as opposed to figuring it out later when I had a wife, mouths to feed, a house, etc. Hopefully I do it right this time around and call it a career.

Pretty pointless post, I'm sure I didn't help you, but honestly I think it's one of those things where nobody but yourself can help you or speed up your decision. You have to go through the motions, do different things, and make your choices. All I have to add is: I know exactly what you're feeling.

[flipstah]

Initially, I always thought that you were wasting your time taking a sabbatical rather than going to post-secondary right after high school.

Maybe it's how I was raised but for me, school went first.

I had my hopes to travel the world and check out the sights and sounds before I get old and become (hopefully) a dad.

Now I'm 21, in a good position in life where I'm almost done school and I have work experience in the field that I love so pretty much I'm just paying off my debt, save up for the last few courses of school then right after I graduate, I'm off to explore!

Take lots of pictures and not regret a damn thing. I don't think I'd be in this great life right now if it wasn't for school but that's just me and how I look at life.

It's really up to you what you want to do. If you want to travel, bust your ass saving because it's gonna be expensive.

Fuck new cars and ballin' houses. Live at home for now and be independent when you wore your youth out (actually just learned that last part after many people telling me how mortgages suck lol.)

I say, play around and see what you like; be a mechnanic for a day, take some night classes or whatnot, read some books on what piques your interest....

Good luck!

[Type_S1]

Wow for once I can honestly see people on beyond not bullshitting and giving real advice thats close to their hearts.

OP I'm about that age and I honestly am just going to school and taking the thing that will make me the most $$ quickly. I don't want to be stuck working for 35years and hating my life afterwards. I want to retire early and enjoy the rest of my life traveling.

I didn't have a clue what I was doing but money led the way for me so I chose my path. You have to do some soulsearching it seems though because school is not for everyone, many people fail horribly at it, the same way trades aren't for everyone. The one thing I regret is not traveling oversea's before I started school...I suggest you do this...you will have the best time of your life from what all my friends have told me.

[lint]

Don't chase money, chase happiness.

[Dumbass17]

^^^
i have this argument with my friends from time to time

some say 'i'm working hard now so i can travel later', which means they want to travel when they're 50+

others, like myself, say 'screw that noise, travel NOW'. i don't think traveling at 50 would be as fun as it is now, it's so different. you won't bungee jump or sky dive etc and alot can happen in say 25 years between now and 50. live in the now.

personally, i would way rather live in the now and enjoy not being tied down/commited and being free to travel/explore/make mistakes without many consequences (not being able to feed mouths etc). but that's me.

sorry i got off topic again.
but like the others stress, just try stuff, random jobs man. you'll learn something.
ha, i like how i'm trying to give advice/input and i'm clueless as hell to what i'm doing, BUT i'm enjoying it :nut:

[Type_S1]

Originally posted by lint
Don't chase money, chase happiness.

Spoken like an unsuccessful man. :rofl:

Just kidding...but really...money brings you freedom in life. Most people act like they are "happy" making 60k a year when in reality everyone wants more money. Our society is built on money and money can buy you what you want(other then things like "love" and "happiness")...but having money just gives people more time and options to find love and happiness.

Just my thoughts...:dunno:

[J-D]

I'm in this same boat right now.

I have a general idea of what I would -like- to do, but it's an extremely limited field that isn't very lucrative so that's out the window.

Otherwise, I look at the degree I'm taking and keep up with job postings and I never see much of a correlation!

[lint]

Originally posted by Type_S1


Spoken like an unsuccessful man. :rofl:

Just kidding...but really...money brings you freedom in life. Most people act like they are "happy" making 60k a year when in reality everyone wants more money. Our society is built on money and money can buy you what you want(other then things like "love" and "happiness")...but having money just gives people more time and options to find love and happiness.

Just my thoughts...:dunno:

Maybe when you get to the point where you're making enough money, you'll come to the same conclusion. But then again maybe not.

Tony Hsieh - Zappos CEO
jJ5k_Byd9Fs

Steve Jobs - Stanford Commencement Speech
UF8uR6Z6KLc

[Ven]

You don't have to pick your career right now. It's not realistic, because chances are you'll have multiple ones in your lifetime. But you do need to start.

All you need to do is chose something that interests you right now and take the first steps toward that direction. That gets the ball rolling in life. As you get older you'll see a path behind you that's quite interesting as each successive job you had as a young feller has developed you into the the future career you'll have.

[Maxt]

Right out of high school, my parents twisted my arm to take a job just to fill in the time while I decided what to do with my life. I started at the lowest rung possible in a very large company, but luckily, my natural analytical and mechanical skills showed and I ended up at the top rung in 2 years..In high school, the career I ended up with wasn't even on the "job list" that the school gives to you as career options. I didn't even know it existed as a titled trade and job, the job found me. I think that when that happens you will be successful at it, anytime, anywhere. I got lucky, as the square peg found the square hole on its own..
Also my parents pushed me, I didn't have an easy late teens or anything handed to me, I left home at the first opportunity it was legal for me to do so, a hard lesson, I didn't have any real luxuries for a long time, but it taught me work ethic to survive. My first apartment, was an illegal suite on 14st nw, with a hotplate,shared bathroom and lots of bugs, with the damage deposit borrowed as a cash advance on my visa.
I put myself through school, and was titled at age 23. That early start gave me a pretty good foothold in life and many lessons, its something I think many people miss out if they delay their adulthood..
Look at the price of houses now, you need to start early if with the average career wages, you want a hope in hell of every paying it off..
Forget being a baller even if you make good money young, get rid of debt, pay off a property, and forget new cars.. Once you are the saving side instead of the forever in credit debt side, that is freedom.. Being a slave to interest payments is not a life. Want to buy something big? When you don't have a mortgage payment, the money adds up pretty quickly to buy things you want.
The only regret I have in life is not having kids sooner, it would have been harder, but not that much harder.

[Celica TVS3]

You'll stumble on something you like or are good at - usually these go hand and hand. My first job was in construction, got a social science undergrad and ultimately chose a career in finance. I chased dollars, to the point my income is a multiple of many of my friends' average salaries. But, I dont feel any richer as I simply spend more on things that are not important (ie expensive clothes, dinning, housing...). I think i would be just as happy working less and making less. My advice is don't worry so much about pay, find something that you really like to do and take your time getting there.

I'm 29.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by lint
Don't chase money, chase happiness.

"Just a little bit more" is how John D. Rockefeller famously answered the question, "How much money is enough?" But if you're always chasing more, you'll never be able to enjoy what you have.

OP: Get out there and find what you really enjoy, your passion. Stick with it, believe in it, believe in yourself. Never get down, one door closes, another one opens. There will always be opportunity. Be willing to learn, ask questions. You are young, surround yourself with good people and things will fall in place.

[Maxt]

Following your passion into a career often kills the passion.. My passion was cars, and I still like them, but dealing with the business aspect of it kills it pretty fast.. And passions like dreams hardly ever pay in reality.
If you are really passionate about something, you become a perfectionist, and perfectionism can't compete with corner cutters when the bottom line is the almighty dollar.

[JimmyBurner]

Originally posted by Maxt
Following your passion into a career often kills the passion.. My passion was cars, and I still like them, but dealing with the business aspect of it kills it pretty fast.. And passions like dreams hardly ever pay in reality.
If you are really passionate about something, you become a perfectionist, and perfectionism can't compete with corner cutters when the bottom line is the almighty dollar.

Couldn't have said it any better. I learned that really quick too, in the auto industry, people want cheap and fast.

[revelations]

Originally posted by Maxt
Following your passion into a career often kills the passion.. My passion was cars, and I still like them, but dealing with the business aspect of it kills it pretty fast.. And passions like dreams hardly ever pay in reality.
If you are really passionate about something, you become a perfectionist, and perfectionism can't compete with corner cutters when the bottom line is the almighty dollar.

Post of the week right here.

I worked in the aircraft industry for 5 years and this was the case with sooo many people.



OP, at the very least identify what you DONT like to do (eg. hate working hands on).

Also, your desires and work preferences may very well change in 10 years so dont expect to hit a home run now.

I'm 33 now, the best move I made years ago was deciding to have career FLEXIBILITY. That is, have MANY skills that can be transferred into other types of work.

[BigMass]

Originally posted by Maxt
Following your passion into a career often kills the passion.. My passion was cars, and I still like them, but dealing with the business aspect of it kills it pretty fast.. And passions like dreams hardly ever pay in reality.
If you are really passionate about something, you become a perfectionist, and perfectionism can't compete with corner cutters when the bottom line is the almighty dollar.

10/10 post

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by lint
Don't chase money, chase happiness.

Excellent, to the point statement. And 100% true.

Seriously, at 20, there is NO rush to have a solid direction. A few good friends of mine had no idea what they wanted to do until their mid 20's and they now have a more comfortable lifestyle than I do.

There is plenty of time for you to find direction and to gain the experience required in your field. Right now, just try things out. Discover what you like and don't like.

You have the rest of your life to make money. Right now, ensure you're going to be making the right choices to lead you to something you enjoy doing.

[alieno1]

Originally posted by Maxt
Following your passion into a career often kills the passion.. My passion was cars, and I still like them, but dealing with the business aspect of it kills it pretty fast.. And passions like dreams hardly ever pay in reality.
If you are really passionate about something, you become a perfectionist, and perfectionism can't compete with corner cutters when the bottom line is the almighty dollar.

100% agreed. I have experience with this. Really enjoyed the design and quality aspect of my trade, but people always want the most simple and poor quality workmanship for the cheapest price. Totally killed my passion. In our modern society, everything comes down to money in the end.

[sputnik]

I think younger people (18-25) spend WAY too much time trying to plan and find the perfect career, perfect spouse to live the perfect life.

When in reality they control none of that.

In the end just start doing something... ANYTHING and do it to the best of your abilities.

If it isn't meant to be, life will work itself out without much intervention from you.

Be adaptable, be committed, have integrity and be happy.

Leave all the planning for those to chicken to take the first step.

[cycosis]

About to turn 25 in January. I'm finished my degree in International Business in a week and half and I'll be starting work at my parent's company full time next month spear heading a variety of projects which should be very interesting. We'll see how it goes.

Rough plan is to move in with the lady this winter to also see how that goes but aside from that no real plans. Longterm goal is either an MBA in 3 years or an Executive MBA in 5-6. I'm certainly not investing in housing though for the next little while as I want to keep my options open for moving around the country. The GF might need to go to Vancouver or Montreal for her Masters and i'll follow along.

I gotta say I feel pretty damn lucky to not have to worry about finding a job right out of school though. Alot of peers are pulling their hair out right now and stressed cause they have no direction.

[max_boost]

Ya I forgot one thing, just go with the flow. Sputnik brings up a good point, just do something and do it to your best. Simple enough and funny how difficult it is for some to grasp.

I started working at the parents restaurant when I was 13. I mean WTF I figured I would do it for a bit, go to school and do something else but guess what, 15 efn years later I'm still here. I just couldn't find anything else to do. OK, the money helps too so I ain't complaining lol

[Mitsu3000gt]

IMO you need to weigh how much money you want to make with what you like to do. VERY RARELY do these things perfectly coincide. The people making a ton of money doing what they love are rare and extremely lucky. Some people are happier having more money even though they aren't doing their dream job. Others are happy making minimum wage, but maybe they also have zero stress and are working in a little surf shop in a tropical paradise.

Someone doing what they love making very little money isn't always preferred. I'd personally rather make way more money and do something I like, than make hardly any money doing something I LOVED.

Business degrees are fairly general, and allow a HUGE variety of jobs in O&G or elsewhere. That is the route I took and I couldn't be happier. Lots of variety in the classes as well, and lots of options to take. I didn't have to sacrifice my social life when I went to school to get it, which was important to me.

I'm 25 if that matters.

[Sorath]

Originally posted by lint
Don't chase money, chase happiness.

lol....


I think you need to have a balance of both.

[Shlade]

Awesome posts guys. Thanks!

Ive always been about go with the flow and its been working so far!

Well see how things pan out... Ive never really had this problem its just recently because the girlfriend seems to have a lot of plans already in place lol..

Im just enjoying life right now and doing what I love doing at this moment.. Im not in any "career" its more so a stepping stone for me into something bigger later on. I suppose only time will tell what happens!

[Graham_A_M]

Originally posted by max_boost
Ya I forgot one thing, just go with the flow. Sputnik brings up a good point, just do something and do it to your best. Simple enough and funny how difficult it is for some to grasp.

I started working at the parents restaurant when I was 13. I mean WTF I figured I would do it for a bit, go to school and do something else but guess what, 15 efn years later I'm still here. I just couldn't find anything else to do. OK, the money helps too so I ain't complaining lol
Dude, if i made what you make doing what you do, I would stay there too. ;)
Like... holy shit.

[Disoblige]

One thing I know to make sure not to do EVER: Get into debt I cannot repay in a decent amount of time.

So far, I'm never into debt, manage my finances religiously, and plan things thoroughly. And by that, it does not mean I don't spend cash like crazy, because I do. I know that it is a slippery slope and don't plan on going anywhere near it (debt).

I know friends who are only 21-25 and already around 10s of thousands into debt (not including student loans). What the FUCK?

Anyways, going with the flow is a good way to look at it but try not to waste time if possible. No offense, but for the most part you can control what is right for you if you are diligent enough. If not, then that is unfortunate.

[Shlade]

The only sort of "debt" I have is my car. That I do not mind paying and its a decent amount where i feel comfortable paying.

Other than that basic crap I have to pay. Im only 19 and Im planning on hopefully applying next year for a better job. Then im hoping to move out and get a place of my own. That is my goal so far lol

[Sorath]

its fine to be in debt for a vehicle purchase, but being in debt for modding a car is stupid, ive been there, learned the hard way, you`ll never get that time/money back

[2002e46]

I made a post about this a while ago under my old user name wrcftw.

Don't chase money or go into something you aren't at least generally interested it.

I chased the bucks and poured my life into becoming a chartered accountant. Ended up stressed out, at my breaking point and very miserable. This was a year ago and Im still trying to figure everything out. I found a killer job and made a nice chunk of change over the year but the contract is over and I'm sort of back at square one. I think i at this point I am going to go into the family business and work for the Railway and try my hand at volunteering and spending more time with friends and family. IMO unless you get lucky or are extremely motivated to do something specific you wont find hapiness in a career. I try to find happiness in working with fun people, my family and my hobbies.

Cheers,

kevin

[scboss]

Originally posted by Sorath
its fine to be in debt for a vehicle purchase, but being in debt for modding a car is stupid, ive been there, learned the hard way, you`ll never get that time/money back

I think that even for a car you shouldnt go in debt unless it brand new and even then i would be careful. Going in debt for something that you know will drop in price is stupid unless you plan on keeping for4+ years.

You should only ever go in debt for 3 things school, house or opening your own business IMO

[Cooked Rice]

Awesome thread! Lately the same topic has been running through my head. I turned 21 in July.

As lost and clueless as we may feel, it is completely normal. Many refer to it as a quarter life crisis. You turn 18, you feel free, you explore, experience, and having fun is basically a top priority no matter the cost. Years go by and whether it's due to a bunch of little things or a larger event, you finally realize that you have to start re-thinking your ways and habits.

But travel, for sure. If you've been spending your savings on your car or fruitless material goods, put it towards a trip. And no not some inclusive shin-dig to some mexican resort. Go hit up another continent for a bit. It's crazy how much you change when you immerse yourself in a place and culture you are completely un-familiar with. You get new perspectives and ideas. Your interests will change.

I am heading to London in April, and plan to do some information digging on cost of living, and short term job opportunities. I want to spend a year or two there and visit parts of Europe.

But it's awesome that a lot of us that are 19-early 20's are already opening an eye to think about the future instead of just dealing with the present. It almost feels like it happens over night. Where one day you were at the same daily routine, and the next you are questioning everything you do on whether it's gonna get you anywhere in life. It's a big world, don't limit yourself.

[max_boost]

You need life experience. Go out there and get some. Be open and adaptability is so important.

You'll be put in situations where you'll have to fend for yourself and that's how you learn. There's nothing like being thrown in the fire, good and bad lol

Debt is excess baggage, it ties you down and stresses you out. So think before you spend. Don't try to keep up with others, live within your means.

Just live, do something productive, have fun and be happy.

[Celica TVS3]

And while we are on careers, show up a bit early, leave a bit late, don't call in sick, and actually work when you're there. Be reliable and consistent. That will fast track you career, whatever path you take.

[TomcoPDR]

Originally posted by JimmyBurner
Pretty pointless post, I'm sure I didn't help you,

Best post you've ever made. :thumbsup:


Great thread.

[JimmyBurner]

Originally posted by TomcoPDR


Best post you've ever made. :thumbsup:


Great thread.

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc337/nismoblurr/79913-StopSnitchingTop.jpg

[CUG]

Poverty doesn't buy happiness.

You can be unhappy in nicer places with nicer things.

[RatherBePerfin]

Originally posted by sputnik
I think younger people (18-25) spend WAY too much time trying to plan and find the perfect career, perfect spouse to live the perfect life.

When in reality they control none of that.

In the end just start doing something... ANYTHING and do it to the best of your abilities.

If it isn't meant to be, life will work itself out without much intervention from you.

Be adaptable, be committed, have integrity and be happy.

Leave all the planning for those to chicken to take the first step.

I have to agree with this. At 21 I was already a homeowner, just getting by working a dead end job, not really living. I started looking for alternatives and it seemed like I had two options, give the oilfield a try or go back to school. At this point I really didn't want to go to school. I knew too many people at this point who did and couldn't find jobs, or had already switched majors and wasted a year or two. I ended up getting a job offer in the patch and decided to give it a try despite not knowing if I would like the job even the slightest. While I like the job and the money, I hate the lifestyle. I set some time based financial goals and met them all ahead of time. I've developed some new skills and learned a lot about myself in the last 4 years, where my strengths are, how I can adapt, and what I might see myself doing from here on out. I've been offered the opportunity to advance further within my current line of work, but have declined it because this isn't the way I want to live my life.

Now I am looking at using the next couple years to buy the things I want and save/invest as much as I can. I have a flexible plan to get out of the oilfield, move back into my house and live a bit more leisurely. As far as future employment goes, I've got some thoughts but nothing concrete. Based on my current projections by time I am ready to make the move, income shouldn't have to be a pressing issue. I don't think I really want to tie myself into a career either. It seems like too many people that spend 20-40 years doing the same job all end up hating the work, hating the money, hating the people they work for or with but at that point have become too damn reluctant to make a change. I wouldn't be surprised if I go through a dozen more jobs over the next 40 years. I don't see myself being happy otherwise.

I guess no matter how you go about it, it is good to learn more about yourself first if you do plan on pursuing a long term career. For some, travelling may be that opportunity. I don't think travelling would have worked for me on any level (especially financially as I have never been fond of debt, or even the prospect of debt).

[rage2]

Originally posted by lint
Don't chase money, chase happiness.

Originally posted by Sorath
lol....

I think you need to have a balance of both.
I tell this to all my friends all the time. Don't go after the money. You'll never get there. Do what you love, do what you're good at, get really good at it, and whore out your skills. If you're dedicated, the money will come as a bonus.

At 20 years old, I dropped out of school and partied my savings away. Hell, ScCab was funding my partying for some time cuz I was so broke.

The only reason I made a change was because my gf at the time gave me an ultimatum... Do something with my life, or she's gone. I was pretty whipped at the time, so I stopped partying, and pursued my only skill I had at the time... IT. OK so that doesn't help the OP since he's yet to figure out what he's good at... maybe this can help. I had no idea why I was good at IT and computers, it just felt natural to me. Then I read this book about 2 years ago:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outliers_%28book%29

And my answer was right there. The 10,000 hour rule. So to find what you're good at, look at what you've spent a lot of time on over the years because you've enjoyed it. Take that, and run with it. A little more on the 10,000 hour rule:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article4969415.ece

Back to the story of not chasing money... I borrowed some money from ScCab for an ad in the computer paper, and started building/selling computers out of my car. I learned a lot of shit along the way, and whored out all my new skills to existing customers that I had. The experience and contacts that I got during this time is what led me to my career today.

Never did I do it to chase money, I did it because I loved what I was doing. When I started at Replicon, I thought it was a 6 month contract job (I'm at 12 years there now jesus lol). At the beginning when the company was struggling and operating on $0 cash and the CEO's personal credit cards, I took a pay cut to help the company pay its bills because I believed in the company. I was offered stock options instead. Another example of don't chase the money. Hell, my first 4 or 5 years there I worked for $40k/year. To make ends meet, I would still be doing contract work on the side (again, whoring my only skills out). It also helped that I lived with my parents haha.

Even today, I don't look at working for money. The money will just come. To this day, I haven't asked for a raise in the 12 years that I've worked at Replicon. My bosses just offer them to me. I don't even negotiate, I tell them to pay me what they think I'm worth.

[jaysas_63]

Theres nothing wrong with chasing money. who says that your job should make you happy? IMO your job should allow you to do the things in life that make you happy.

not everybody has the opportunity to transform what they spend "10,000 hrs" doing into a stable profession. i spend the vast majority of my time working out, and listening to music. i don't see a career as Schwarzenegger, or Bangalter in my future, so i made sure to get the education, and training necessary to secure a well paying job in the future.

i have many friends in similar fields as me, who don't enjoy their jobs in the least, BUT they are making a healthy salary, working 3-4 days a week, and are able to spend more than enough time doing the things in life that they enjoy, because their job offers them the time and finances to do so.

when i was 20 years old, i was in my undergrad studying towards a useless BSc in chemistry. i had a goal of what i wanted to do in the future, and i kept on trucking in university until eventually a door opened for me.

anybody who says drop out of school to find yourself because its too expensive might have a point in the USA, where private college tuition can run between 50K-80K per year, but in Canada you have the opportunity to study at one of the best universities in the country for a measly 5K per year, why not take a few extra years in school to figure out where you want to go?? seems a lot more productive than traveling, and probably a little cheaper too!


Originally posted by Shlade
Im 19 and i have no idea what I want to do.

I have a tiny idea but Im not going to be able to get into it. Life is truly a bitch..

looks like you know what you want to do, but unfortunately you are missing the pre-requisites to follow that career path. If i were you, id start from ground up doing whatever necessary to get into the program you want. whether it be upgrading your HS courses, going into an undergrad program, or studying ur balls off for a standardized test.

[911fever]

this thread depresses and excites me at the same time.
It makes me want to definitely go back to school for longer, get into student loans and fulfill my dreams.
I'm just unsure, should I graduate and look for a job with my current degree, and then head back to school if I can't find anything? It's a tough world out there right now

[A790]

I'm 24 now and am still in that process in determining what I want to do with my life. In terms of professional development, I've done everything from served tables to handled massive marketing budgets for developing search firms and I can tell you this:

Don't be rushing yourself to find the "perfect" career. There is no "perfect" career, only careers that mesh with your desired lifestyle.

At 21 I was marketing full time online, making mid-four figures per day in profit for my business. I worked from home, set my own hours, and chose how/where I would conduct business. That's the dream, right?

Well, maybe. I made a lot of money. That's about the only thing about that job I enjoyed. With that money came dealing with lawyers/accountants, working 12-14 hours a day in front of four computer screens, and having nearly no social life.

My passion has always been in sales, or some derivative of sales. Growing up with a somewhat troubled financial past I was determined to ensure that I never experienced that type of lifestyle again. Instead, I had the other extreme where now I had money but I was miserable.

Now I'm working with a company making 1/3rd what I made in 2008, but my hours are MUCH less, the rewards are MUCH higher, and my quality of life is leaps and bounds ahead of what it was.

In short: do what makes you happy. If you earn a living while being happy, well, that's just a nice bonus :).

[rage2]

Originally posted by jaysas_63
Theres nothing wrong with chasing money. who says that your job should make you happy? IMO your job should allow you to do the things in life that make you happy.
I'd hate to be working away in a career where I'm not happy. That's spending 1/2 your life doing something that's not enjoyable or fullfilling, talk about a waste.

I dunno how many times I've heard of people in their 30's pretty much go through a career crisis because they hate their jobs. Hell, I think I've seen a handful of threads here in the careers forum of guys wanting to scale back financially so they can start a new career, even though they're making tons of money because they're not happy doing what they're doing. I've yet to meet someone that chases money doing what they don't enjoy and be happy at the end of the day. But of course, that's just my opinion and observations. :)

[max_boost]

People say money doesn't buy happiness. Except, according to a new study from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School, it sort of does — up to about $75,000 a year. The lower a person's annual income falls below that benchmark, the unhappier he or she feels. But no matter how much more than $75,000 people make, they don't report any greater degree of happiness.


http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,2016291,00.html

[max_boost]

High incomes don't bring you happiness, but they do bring you a life you think is better,"

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,2016291,00.html#ixzz17NOP7tGD

[xxviet]

"High incomes don't bring you happiness, but they do bring you a life you think is better"

If you make over 75k a year, and it does not bring you happiness, your obviously shopping in all the wrong places

[A790]

Originally posted by xxviet
"High incomes don't bring you happiness, but they do bring you a life you think is better"

If you make over 75k a year, and it does not bring you happiness, your obviously shopping in all the wrong places
Depends what makes you happy I guess.

In 2008 when I did XXX,XXX/yr I wasn't any happier than I am now making 1/3 of that. I'd actually argue that I'm significantly happier now... work fewer hours, more job" perks", more management workload, etc.

Having a bunch of money doesn't mean shit when you hate your life.

[almerick]

I had a chat with my dad a few months ago since I had been obsessing so much about money, he told me what others have said in this thread:

"Do what you're passionate about, if you do a good job, the money will follow."

Maybe this will help others more than it helped me. I'm still chasing the money instead of the dream since I am still young. Maybe when I'm more mature I'll understand better. At least I now know I don't want to be an accountant. I'm 20, turning 21 in a few weeks.. Feel like I'm wasting all my time so I just want to grab my diploma and get life going.

[HiTempguy1]

I had a long response written up, but it basically amounts to this:

LIVE. Do what you want. If you require more money to do the things you want, find ways/work harder to get that money. Try different jobs (if you have no debt/obligations, which you shouldn't at only 20, you're good to go)! You make your own life, nobody else does.

In the past 4 years I dropped out of engineering, have competed across north america in national level motorsports (quite successfully IMO), earned a technical diploma with a 4.0gpa, and now have an oilfield R&D job. And I would change very little if given the chance. I'm only 22, but things are picking up steam, not slowing down. I don't plan for that to happen until I am over 55 :D

[Tomaz]

I'm 24, and find myself debating the same thing every day.

The way I look at it now, I am much better off than I was before. Life just has a way of working out.

I started my journey as a labourer for a landscaping company, to swamper, forklift operator, shop foreman, reception, sales assistant, now an inside sales rep. It has been a very hard journey, but thinks are looking up as I am approaching a managerial position. The most I have ever made is my current Salary ($40k/year). I might not make much, but i am getting by while having fun.

I tried schooling, but as others have said, it isn't for everybody. I have found I am great with people and have natural selling skills. I rolled with it, and I am now driving a new car, enjoying my desk job.

The best experience I have had was traveling. I volunteered and lived in shitholes all over Canada. I have done many jobs, helped many people and made many friends along the way. As much as it was a waste of time in my friends eyes, I would have not traded that year for anything. :)

Another thing that I felt that helped was going to post-secondary. It never worked out for me, but it did help develop some new skills and was a whole new experience for me.


In short, do whatever you want and give it 100%. Our lives on this earth are short. No point in wasting it worrying about what might not happen.

[97luder]

get a part time job if you still live at home and enjoy your life, i think the hardest part of figuring out what you want to do is knowing how to do it knowing how to go about it. like where to start ,

dont worry about what you are going to be doing 30 years from now cause most ppl will change what they do 2 ,3 ,4 times over a life ,



what do you like doing ? what are some interests ?

jump on that and make it work for you for a few years. cause yes working does suck but its great when you have a job you like and enjoy !

[911fever]

Originally posted by Tomaz
I'm 24, and find myself debating the same thing every day.

The way I look at it now, I am much better off than I was before. Life just has a way of working out.

I started my journey as a labourer for a landscaping company, to swamper, forklift operator, shop foreman, reception, sales assistant, now an inside sales rep. It has been a very hard journey, but thinks are looking up as I am approaching a managerial position. The most I have ever made is my current Salary ($40k/year). I might not make much, but i am getting by while having fun.

I tried schooling, but as others have said, it isn't for everybody. I have found I am great with people and have natural selling skills. I rolled with it, and I am now driving a new car, enjoying my desk job.

The best experience I have had was traveling. I volunteered and lived in shitholes all over Canada. I have done many jobs, helped many people and made many friends along the way. As much as it was a waste of time in my friends eyes, I would have not traded that year for anything. :)

Another thing that I felt that helped was going to post-secondary. It never worked out for me, but it did help develop some new skills and was a whole new experience for me.


In short, do whatever you want and give it 100%. Our lives on this earth are short. No point in wasting it worrying about what might not happen.

why didn't you graduate from University?? just curious

[Tomaz]

Originally posted by 911fever


why didn't you graduate from University?? just curious

The first time was due to me being young and not thinking. I was in trouble with the law and couldn't continue schooling with a criminal record. I could go back now I received my pardon, but I ran out of money to take that specific course (est $80k for enrollment).

The second time I attended post-secondary, I attended for 2 years up until about 2 weeks ago. I didn't pass a single course in those 2 years, so I threw in the towel. I might try again in the spring/summer.

[Type_S1]

Originally posted by Tomaz


The second time I attended post-secondary, I attended for 2 years up until about 2 weeks ago. I didn't pass a single course in those 2 years, so I threw in the towel. I might try again in the spring/summer.

:confused:

What the hell were you taking? Was it extremely hard or you just being an idiot while taking them?

[Tomaz]

Originally posted by Type_S1


:confused:

What the hell were you taking? Was it extremely hard or you just being an idiot while taking them?

The courses would be easy for most people, but I had great difficulty.

[GenericUsername]

Originally posted by Tomaz


The first time was due to me being young and not thinking. I was in trouble with the law and couldn't continue schooling with a criminal record. I could go back now I received my pardon, but I ran out of money to take that specific course (est $80k for enrollment).

The second time I attended post-secondary, I attended for 2 years up until about 2 weeks ago. I didn't pass a single course in those 2 years, so I threw in the towel. I might try again in the spring/summer.



What course was it and at what school?








for lols :hijack:

[Super_Geo]

For better or worse, at the end of the day your relative happiness with your lot in life depends on the company you keep. You can earn $100k and feel underpaid if your friends all make $200k, or you can earn $80k and feel like king shit because all of your buddies are making $40k. That's just how the rat race goes... surround yourself with successful people and that will give you the drive to be more successful yourself. What you do with the money is much more important than how much money you earn.

The hedonic treadmill is a bitch... take a second to think about how happy you'd be if you were making twice what you make now... ... Ok, now I hate to break it to you, but you overshot, probably by a lot. (google 'hedonic treadmill,' there's also a great TED talk on synthetic happiness that is directly applicable).

[Thomas Gabriel]

To be honest, it seems the people who simply did what their parents told them to do are happiest now.

[thrasher22]

Originally posted by Thomas Gabriel
To be honest, it seems the people who simply did what their parents told them to do are happiest now.

Yeah but the whole lack of independent thought has GOT to be a bummer. :rolleyes:

What I've realized is almost no one has the eureka moment of "this job is my destiny". Pick something and go with it, if it sucks, do something else.

Or until then, party, travel, hit on girls, do whatever you want. Life can be simple, just keep your head about you.

[thetransporter]

Dont go and buy a 30 thousand dollar car thats going to only be worth 5 k a few years later

but that 30k in savings in to a ING DIRECT Canada Savings account and earn 1.5 Percent Interest per month. Dont pull it out till your atleast 30 and if you need to do.

[thetransporter]

Originally posted by Thomas Gabriel
To be honest, it seems the people who simply did what their parents told them to do are happiest now.

yeah suggested get married by 20, and i could not be happier now.

[crapstixs]

Originally posted by Maxt
Right out of high school, my parents twisted my arm to take a job just to fill in the time while I decided what to do with my life. I started at the lowest rung possible in a very large company, but luckily, my natural analytical and mechanical skills showed and I ended up at the top rung in 2 years..In high school, the career I ended up with wasn't even on the "job list" that the school gives to you as career options. I didn't even know it existed as a titled trade and job, the job found me. I think that when that happens you will be successful at it, anytime, anywhere. I got lucky, as the square peg found the square hole on its own..
Also my parents pushed me, I didn't have an easy late teens or anything handed to me, I left home at the first opportunity it was legal for me to do so, a hard lesson, I didn't have any real luxuries for a long time, but it taught me work ethic to survive. My first apartment, was an illegal suite on 14st nw, with a hotplate,shared bathroom and lots of bugs, with the damage deposit borrowed as a cash advance on my visa.
I put myself through school, and was titled at age 23. That early start gave me a pretty good foothold in life and many lessons, its something I think many people miss out if they delay their adulthood..
Look at the price of houses now, you need to start early if with the average career wages, you want a hope in hell of every paying it off..
Forget being a baller even if you make good money young, get rid of debt, pay off a property, and forget new cars.. Once you are the saving side instead of the forever in credit debt side, that is freedom.. Being a slave to interest payments is not a life. Want to buy something big? When you don't have a mortgage payment, the money adds up pretty quickly to buy things you want.
The only regret I have in life is not having kids sooner, it would have been harder, but not that much harder.

you my friend, if we ever meet in life, ide say we would get along just great. minus the kid part.
i only red , like two pages of this post because im lazy and drunk.
now i have had many conversaitions with my dad about this topic. i like the way my dad put it. hes 56, and a chemical engineer. and he has ran his own company for the last 15 years. he said shit i dont now what i want to be when i grow up.
for me, i got into the registered apprentiship program when i was in high school. my goal was to be a auto mechanic. now after selling my sole to fountain tire for the last 8 years to get ahead in life. im now 23 and the lead tech at my shop i make deacent money for my age and in a good position. but the tech i did most of my apprentiship under is the best tech i have ever met. he is like 43 or so and he has to call in sick once or twice every month because he cant bend down to put on his socks in the moring. because he has been working on cars ever since he was 16. now im realising that my life goal is not realistic, nor can i do it for 20 to 30 more years. ide say give it ten more years and i will be flying a desk for head office. i dont argee with if your passion is you career it will kill you passion. because the two most important things im my life are my gf and my career and im just loving it. maby im just young. but enjoy life, you only have one.

[b_t]

aight I'm 24 now

Coming out high school, I missed acceptance into Haskayne by 0.4% so I went with plan B, which was go to SAIT in their business diploma program, and then graduate from there and transfer to the University of Lethbridge to finish my degree. SAIT was an awesome school - good teachers, easy course load, not much homework, free laptop. It was a great time going to that school and being able to coast while my buddies in uni suffered under crappy schedules and tons of homework. I transferred straight into U of L and started taking night courses full time for my degree, and at the same time, I got a job through one of my dad's friends that got me in at the ground level in oil and gas.

So I was a full time employee & student for about two years, finished up my degree, still at the same job, and still climbing the ladder and I'm making ridiculous (imo) money for my age. I don't work particularly hard.. actually, straight up, I'm a slacker who puts on a good show.. but I still get raises and promotions. I just show up and spend most of my time on the internet :rofl: but it all works out because my work still gets done to a very high standard.

But I wonder all the time if this is it. Its a huge coincedence I even got to this point.. if I had gotten a 6% higher grade in my grade 12 gym class, I would have gone to Haskayne, and then who knows wtf I'd be doing now. I'd probably be years behind in my career, I wouldn't have a new truck, and I'd be heavily in debt (right now I am firmly in the black and have incredible credit). I would probably have more of a social life and I wouldn't have spent the last few years single.. I might not even have graduated uni - working & going to school at the same time, I realized just how obvious all the stuff I was getting taught was and I realized how bad I was getting ripped off (except my company paid for all my school, so really I didn't mind).

It gives me the impression that life will work itself out, just so long as you aren't a complete dumbass.

[Graham_A_M]

Originally posted by crapstixs


you my friend, if we ever meet in life, ide say we would get along just great. minus the kid part.
i only red , like two pages of this post because im lazy and drunk.

You have a serious drinking problem, this is the third post of yours that I read, of which you're piss drunk.
:facepalm:
It was almost 5am when you posted that, drunk, at home on a Sat morning? wow.

[Sorath]

Parents left me stranded here when i was in highschool, was working while going to school, then went to university while selling cars on the side, graduated now and making 6 figures +. social life kinda shot, but thats they way it goes i guess, if i had a chance to do it all again, wouldnt go down this road

money isnt everything have to have a balance

[crapstixs]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M


You have a serious drinking problem, this is the third post of yours that I read, of which you're piss drunk.
:facepalm:
It was almost 5am when you posted that, drunk, at home on a Sat morning? wow.
so? whats it to you? i get home all liqured and go on beyond, its great fun. and for the most part i actually help people and share my opinion. i could just troll if that you make you feel better.

[Graham_A_M]

Originally posted by crapstixs

so? whats it to you? i get home all liqured and go on beyond, its great fun. and for the most part i actually help people and share my opinion. i could just troll if that you make you feel better.

Its nothing to me, honestly how much do you think I care about some random drunk on a forum that I'll never meet?
But what I am saying, is that you should seek help.

Good for you for "helping people" and "sharing your opinion", the thing is though, is that everybody else on this forum does just that without being a drunken fool and making an ass of themselves most of the time. ;)
Maybe you should try it someday.

[crapstixs]

shit, i get drunk like 3 to 4 times a month. im on my way to AA right now.
i dont care if i make a idiot of my self on the internet. because its the internet. and you said it your self i will never meet you in person. you can call me out, thats fine. but i dont care.
the internet, its serious shit.

[crapstixs]

sorry graham, im going to have to end this dissagrement because real life is calling. all be back in a few hours (maby drunk, who knows)

[911fever]

Originally posted by Sorath
Parents left me stranded here when i was in highschool, was working while going to school, then went to university while selling cars on the side, graduated now and making 6 figures +. social life kinda shot, but thats they way it goes i guess, if i had a chance to do it all again, wouldnt go down this road

money isnt everything have to have a balance

6 figures in the car industry, as a BM? you'd have to be absolutely raping to do that. Sucky career though, just terrible if that's what you're doing.

[Sorath]

Originally posted by 911fever


6 figures in the car industry, as a BM? you'd have to be absolutely raping to do that. Sucky career though, just terrible if that's what you're doing.

clearly you have no idea how the automotive industry in alberta works. so why troll my posts and comment

[Dumbass17]

i doubt he's drunk, his typing is too good

[911fever]

Originally posted by Sorath


clearly you have no idea how the automotive industry in alberta works. so why troll my posts and comment

absolutely I do. Being a BM in a Nissan stealership and making 6 figures... possible but that'd be extremely hard.

[CUG]

Originally posted by Sorath
Parents left me stranded here when i was in highschool, was working while going to school, then went to university while selling cars on the side, graduated now and making 6 figures +. social life kinda shot, but thats they way it goes i guess, if i had a chance to do it all again, wouldnt go down this road I don't tell anyone how much I make. Sometimes it's better if people think you're broke. You're making 100k? Grossing 60-ish?

Where did your parents leave to? That's a gnarly story dude.

[Sorath]

was just trying to make a statement saying money isnt everything, have to have a balance. And maybe in toronto its hard, sure as hell not hard in alberta, considering 60% of them do?

[Ymerej472008]

Originally posted by 911fever


6 figures in the car industry, as a BM? you'd have to be absolutely raping to do that. Sucky career though, just terrible if that's what you're doing.

Not really...I know two BM's @ "Toyota" that EASILY clear $100,000/yr..
Sure they work hard at it but its not as uncommon as you think..

[leftwing]

what is a BM

[TE4MFaint]

You`re a slave to money, then you die.


Just turned 23 on the 14th, and I`m pretty happy with the way things are going work wise.

At 20 I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, was just going through the motions working full time jobs, sales, grounds keeper, cribbing, etc. Met a girl, thought she was grande, fell in love, fell out first hand, haha but in all seriousness it was the way it went.

Not only till after that did I realize I should look for something that I can see myself doing for the rest of my life but something I enjoy more-so. And I was very lucky to find it.

I`m working as a car installer and absolutely loving it. Working on vehicles is always fun, makes the day go by quickly, money is great, and its an ever learning experience. Gotta love car starter season (:

All in all, like many people here have said, don`t rush into something, I know a lot of friends who went into university right after highschool taking courses like power engineering, then straight to work after that, and their social life is absolute zero. Sure money is good, but it doesn`t make you happy. I found out what I want to do now at 23, and had an absolute blast doing what I did from 20-23 years old with my non serious jobs/touring as a musician.

[max_boost]

Originally posted by leftwing
what is a BM

Business Manager.

$100K/year at a busy dealership doesn't seem that out there.

DOC fee for car purchases is usually around $400 and if the manager is really good at selling warranties, 3m film etc. they can make even more.

[911fever]

man things have changed if you're making that all there. When I worked at a dealer in Calgary only one BM was making 6 figures. Out here, very very few make over 80k, its very hard to clear even 6k a month here; very hard.

[Q-TIP]

There are a lot of good posts on here, and also a lot of thinly veiled penis measuring contests.

I dicked around for a couple of years in school before settling on a degree that seemed to be interesting but I had no idea where I was going to end up (obviously as where I am now was NOT part of the plan 6 years ago ha ha). I spent too much time thinking about a "job" and not enough time considering the fact that I should be looking for a more general (but still focused) direction. I found that setting my sights on a particular job set me up for disappointment. Something that seems perfect from the outside can get sort of ugly when you are neck deep in it.

My advice, figure out what type of work you naturally feel comfortable with and picture what types of careers will draw on aspects of that. After that, remember to stay flexible. Every single one of my friends that is unhappy with their career is someone who fought tooth and nail to get a secure, specific job. If your boss asks you to do something that is not within your specific job description, don't refuse to do it, just accept it as a change of pace. I was miserable within a few months of starting my post-degree career, I was in a role that I found initially interesting but quickly wore thin. I was nervous as hell when my boss told me that I could either keep going in the same capacity or break off and work independently. I decided to take the risk and ended up not working for that company at all within a few months. However the direction it put me on has been incredibly well suited to MY lifestyle. It isn't perfect and many people would probably hate my life but I love it.

In the end, you don't know what you like until you try it. Don't let other people's expectations or preconceptions prevent you from trying something new. Surround yourself with good friends, don't worry about finding the perfect anything (women included) because the harder you try the longer it will take to find happiness.

[Feruk]

Hmm I'll chime in on this. I'm 26 now, working as an engineer in a town of ~100K people. Post high school, I didn't really know what to do either, but decided to do engineering. Best decision I ever made. Not so much because the job is all that interesting (it's alright), but because it gives me the funds and time to do what I really love, travelling. I take a month off every year and backpack, something I'd recommend everyone do at least once.

Think about what you're good at and kinda enjoyed in high school. For the most part, I think the most decent career paths are either engineering, medicine, business, or law. Getting a university degree in something like history or sociology will prolly just result in the equivalent job of a high school drop out. If you enjoy working with your hands, something at SAIT might be more up your alley. Personally not for me, but I see the appeal in being a mechanic. Focus on your strengths and career away; just avoid dead end degrees in my opinion (unless you wanna wind up a teacher).

Work aside, your 20's are supposed to be the best years of your life. No kids, little commitment, make a bucket list of everything fun stuff you wanna do by 30.

[89coupe]

Originally posted by Shlade
Mostly for the older fellas in their later to early 30`s. But really anybody can answer.

Did you have a tough time deciding or wondering what youd do in life? What your purpose is and what kind of things your good at?

Im hitting the weird stage of constantly wondering what I could do.. Some friends got talents with body work, mechanical work, computers and the list goes on.. Im seriously yet to discover what im good at.. And its seriously putting me in a depressive state.

What kind of paths did you guys take? What did you guys do? Travelling seems to be something that I could see myself possibly doing.. Buy a 1 way ticket to Europe and backpack and go try and work for places to get by for a while and see what happens from there. I cant figure out for the life of me what I want to do. Where to start and all that garbage..

So chime in. Share your story of how you started your life, what you did.. What you do now and how you got there and figured you were actually good at it...

What were your grades like?

[l/l/rX]

23 right now. Coming out of high school I had not a clue what I was going to do. Spent a year working, and travelling just doing whatever. My parents really wanted me to have some form of post secondary education, so I enrolled at SAIT in the business admin program - financial services. I liked it, but was definitely not in love with it.

I had a few options...graduate from SAIT and start working (banking, start at FSR and work my way up) or go and get my degree.

I did neither. I spent a few months after graduating working at Fido, partying, some more travelling. My friend offered me her old job at Nexen as she was leaving to pursue something else. I said sure why not. And am I ever thankful I accepted the job. I had never knew such job existed, didn't have any knowlegde on how to do this job. Love what I do, pays better than any starting bank job, its interesting, enticing etc etc.

Anyways the point to this post, just to show how someone with no sense of direction of where to go in life, had life work itself out, pieces fell into place by itself. Go with the flow, although this approach to life doesnt work for everyone.

[Shlade]

Originally posted by 89coupe


What were your grades like?

They were fine. I should of tried a little harder in high school but hey u live and learn.

Doing some upgrading this year so thats a start ;)

After that hoping to go do some criminal justice for post secondary sometime after im finished upgrading. Only 3 classes so shouldnt take too too long.

[2002e46]

Best advice my Dad ever gave me was "don't try to plan out your life". It rarely goes the way you think it will.

I went straight from HS to University and graduated 2009 with a Bcomm in accounting...went to work for a big four firm like I had planned and got nailed with health issues related to the stress of being a CA student and full time bitch at the firm. I never really liked accounting that much and was just chasing the vision of being a rich Partner in a firm.

I took a year and worked as a consultant, made some good money and then took 4 months off to feel better and decide what I want.

I was very close to going back to school to be a teacher but decided to follow my Dad's career path in the railway. I do absolutely nothing related to my degree but it has opened a few doors for me....and having a family connection high up in the ranks works too. I wouldn't go to work if I didn't have to but at the same time I find the complexity of the railway, and its history very interesting and its fun to be a part of it.

Bottom line: Its very hard to get paid to do something thats a ton of fun...even being a pro athlete has its ups and downs...they don't always seem like the happiest people on earth. Take something in school that interests you, even if its something that wont likely lead to a lot of job opportunities. Employers like people with an education as it shows they are capable of applying themselves for years to higher learning. Travel in your summers off or save it all for one big trip when you graduate. It will be nicer to go on a trip and know that you have put in some good work over the years than to take a big trip and come back to nothing.