As I was driving down the road today, I thought about my life purpose and what my ideal job would be like.
A man only lives once and since there must be like a thousand of different jobs, it is impossible for him to try out each and every job in the world. He thus has to make an educated guess on which is the best job for him based on his personality, skills, aptitude, etc.
I then realised how "coloured" my view of the ideal job was. I am to a certain extent the product of other people's opinions. People do not like me if I dig my nose in public. That is why I don't pick my nose in public. People's opinons do shape us in ways that we cannot imagine.
That is why we like to look up to doctors, lawyers and the like while looking down on other jobs that are deemed more suited for the common man. That is why our peers and parents secretly go "wow" if you find a girlfriend or boyfriend who belongs to any of those high paying and highly respected jobs.
However, I realised that I might be at the end of the day suited for a more normal down to earth kind of job instead of some high flying lawyer or doctor or businessman. The problem is whether I would be content with my position in life at the end of the day.
God, help me find my purpose in life
How's yr journey to FF? What have u done to increase yr passive income?
ReplyDeleteI too quick my job in 2009 to pursue this FF dream. As u mentioned, family & peer pressure on taking the route they did not take can be very demoralizing.
hi greetings from kuala lumpur
ReplyDeleteDid anyone read Dr Michael Leong, author of "Your First Million". He was a medical doctor but he thought life as a medical doctor wasn't exactly interesting and decided investing is the way to go and out of rat race.
ReplyDeleteI am in a job that I love. It doesn't pay a lot of money, enough for the family, some savings and short holidays. But my problem was that the nice meaningful job that I have isn't high flying and for a few years, I have been wondering whether I am short changing myself.
ReplyDeleteEverything fell into place recently. I went for an interview for a job that was considered to me, a high flying one (or rather, one that open doors to high flying careers later on). The job will surely be a lot more challenging and I will be much busier. I will have lesser time for the family and my hobbies, and I know I wouldn't love it anywhere near my current job. But I am determined to give it a go as long as it pays more than what I have now. The reason is what you mentioned; the ideal job. I want an 'ideal job'.
I went all the way till the final round of interview. When they asked about salary and benefits and I shared what I am drawing now, the guy gave an ooooo... oops gesture with his mouth and then said he has to think about it.
I was rejected eventually. I will never know if I was unsuitable, beyond budget, or the company suddenly decided to stop hiring for other reasons.
But the feeling is surreal. On my way home from the interview, I stopped to buy something I had always wanted but prevented myself from buying because I thought I haven't done enough in my career to "reward" myself with a present like that.
I went back to my job, unexplainably happier and contented. Sometimes it helps to compare. Unless you dispel your original notion of what is 'ideal', you will never know if your definition is correct.