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What are my career options? Who am I? What am I?

Lightning-Nl

Lightning-Nl

Bluelighter
Joined
Nov 11, 2012
Messages
1,245
I thought I had my career planned out - but I've learned recently that... I'm not not happy. I'm not happy sitting at home all day. I'm not happy bullshitting customers into buying a computer they don't need. I'm not happy pressing the same cash register buttons day in and day out.

I thought I wanted to be a pharmacist. I thought I would be happy doing that. But I realized... I won't be. I'll never be happy doing that because I can't sit at a desk all day everyday. I need to be moving. I need to be doing something that requires urgency. I need to be alive.

Otherwise, I can't do anything...

I don't care if my job will make me socially isolated. I doubt I'll ever get married. I spend most of my time alone anyways.

Anyways, here are my skills. I'm smart. And I don't mean that in a 'normal' way. No I mean I'm, like... really smart. I can run complex 'algorithms' through my head in seconds, I can read people's personalities far better than they can. I'm cunning, and I can think on the fly worlds better than most people.

I know a lot, I can retain any information that someone gives me. I can read between the fine print, and know what you're gonna do before you even know yourself.

I'm obsessive. Some people might consider this a downfall, and while it can be anxiety inducing at times - my obsessiveness propels me further than anyone else who puts their mind to something. When I get interested in something - I do everything I can to find out everything there is to know about that subject.

I work hard. If I'm going to do something - I might as well do it right. There's no reason to not do something right, and give it your 100%. Anything worth doing, is worth doing right.

I have principles. Some people don't - and I feel truely sorry for these people. If I give you my word - that means that I will do everything in my power to make that happen. Stealing is wrong. I've done it before...an I'm glad I did. It made me realize that even stealing something like a pack of gum can hurt someone. If you steal something from a store - you might as well just be stealing from the people so work there. People view a company as it's own seperate entity (and there are some rare cases where that is true) but this is wrong. A company is just a collaboration people. By stealing from a company - you're stealing everyone in the companies time, effort, and money.

There are three things you never fuck with if their not yours. 1. Someone else's career 2. Someone else's money 3. Someone else's family. Period.

Anyways, I like physical work much better than mental work. Actually I like a combination of the two. I'm the best person there is for urgent situations that need a solution on the fly. I don't fuck around and I'm a professional. If I'm at work, you better believe that means I'm gonna act like it. This isn't fucking Boy Scout camp or something, THIS IS MY JOB! You don't fuck around with things like that.

I can make hard decisions. Doing what's right, is not always easy. I can make those kinds of decisions. If (and I know this is only an extreme situation) it's between my life and someone else's... I'm going to give my life for someone else. If it's between my fathers life, and the lives of other people... As much as it would hurt knowing that I let my father die, I would take on the psychological burdon, just so other people could have the chance to live.

Anyways, I'm getting a little too serious...

I put other people before myself. For some reason, there is a lack of customer care in retail these days. If a customer asks me for help - I'm going to make sure that they're 100% satisfied with everything.

Other than that... I love figuring this out. I'm an engineer at heart. That means I solve problems. Not problems like "what is life?" because that falls within the conundrums of philosophy. No, I solve practical problems. Like 'How am I going to keep my radiator from leaking?' Or 'How am I going to make sure that someone else doesn't get hurt from a mistake I make?'

Anyways - what do you think I should do with my life?
 
You're an engineer at heart, why not go to school for engineering? My father was an electrical engineer for Lockheed Martin and was constantly in the field, working on radars in countries all over the world. He absolutely loved his job, and has half a dozen passports full of awesome stamps and visas and has many cool stories with them. It's the perfect combination of physical and mental work- plus you're not sitting behind a desk at all- always in the field working with people, solving problems/ troubleshooting and traveling the world. Great salary to boot. Might be something to look into. It's ultimately up to you though.
 
That was a great suggestion. Although, as much as I would love to do that - I don't think I have the discipline to stay in school that long. Amazing post however. I really appriciate the time you took to write that out <:)

Anyways, I'm thinking about becoming a police officer. Maybe aim to become a detective. I'm the only person I know that can solve incredibly complex 'puzzles' (so to speak) and I think I would be good for the job...

Does anyone have experience with that?
 
Heum... Sounds like you can do anything you really set your mind to. It's really not for us to choose for you what to do.

I am an engineer and I don't get to go much apart use a computer 7-8 hours a day. Sometimes it's a lot of fun. Sometimes it isn't... The grass is always greener nextdoor. If you catch my meaning.
 
Adding that I really like to teach other people, it's like I'd written your text. I guess, we've basically the same problem. I'm a software engineer but this is not my passion . It's a waste of time because - like you said - I need to be alive. I never really liked my job, but I've finished my education and have been working here for the last 6 month to earn some money. I try to change this in near future and with that change - I guess - my whole life will also change.

I'm also a bit unsure about what I want to do. I just know what are my dreams - who I am.

Maybe my point of view helps you:

My true passion was, is and will ever be to help. I'd like to teach other people to reconsider everything, to be themselves and to live their ideas, their dreams. Freedom of the mind and the soul - peacefullness - belongs to everyone. Everyone should be free and happy. I'd also like to reconnect the human kind with the sacred gifts of mother nature, as lots of people had forgotten that we ARE nature. We should use and not prey it.

I like to be with other people, so actually my plan is becoming a psychologist (I can read other people and for any reason most people are really trusting me) or a teacher (I guess second school would be nice) after doing a trip around the world. By helping other people to be themselves, to be free of anxiety and hate, you can lead them to do the right things. You can lead them to do the right choices, to make this world a better place for everyone. That's also a kind of "solving problems".

I'll also write a great book, definately. I'm a really good writer (at least in german language; my english isn't the best) and a perfectionist as long as I remember.

You explained your skills and the way how you're thinking, but not your dreams. What are your dreams? Just live your dreams, even if they are much greater than your life.

"Ideas are bulletproof". Be part of YOUR ideas, others will follow. If you live YOUR dreams; if you would die for YOUR dreams, you'll live forever as a part of them and that's true passion - that's a key to real happiness.


Well.. I hope you or someone who's reading this can take something from it. Maybe this hundreds words will change the world?
Maybe the flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil will set off a tornado in Texas?

Maybe I'd taken a bit too much drugs in my life (or just at the moment) and I'm crazy, I don't know, but that's absolutely not important because what I know for sure is: I'm happy and will ever be happy, because no one can take my dreams as long as I'm following them. Even when I die, my dreams will pass.

I wish you all the best and that you find your real passion!
Cheers!
 
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Most interesting and fulfilling jobs require some sort of educational training. I'd reconsider school, as the abysmal experience of high school is really little like study at university.

ebola
 
No offense, but my first impression is more that you look for a place in life in general, then a proper career plan.

Most people i consider realy happy find their happienes in their family, hobby etc. and not in their job. They just do it for the money, so they can live.

Do you want to live for work or do you want to work for a living?

Why do you doubt you will ever get married and dont care if you are socialy isolated?
 
ebola? said:
Most interesting and fulfilling jobs require some sort of educational training. I'd reconsider school, as the abysmal experience of high school is really little like study at university.

ebola
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Don't get me wrong. I'm definitely going to college. However, I need to know what to pursue before I go there. I'm considering going to school to become a police officer at the moment. I would attempt to move up to become a detective and eventually (once I've gained significant experience in the field) apply to be part of the investigative police. But I don't know. Due to the fact that I've been hospitalized under a psychiatric hold before, I'm not sure if that could become a reality. If there is even a 1% chance that it could be - I'll pursue it, because that's what I feel like I could really be happy doing. But I have to draw a line somewhere. If there's no chance it would happen - I need to know before I give years of my life to something and never get anything out if it.

rujex said:
[...]
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I want a job where I can make a difference. Actually accomplish something and truely help people. But I need the job to be my life because that's where I could truely thrive.

I like the idea of having a job that constantly puts me in a life or death situation. Why? Well for a couple reasons. 1. It's what I'm used to - it's what I know, and it's how I've learned to live. Something happened between me and my parents, in my childhood, that made me feel in danger all the time. I've yet to determine what that event was, but I'm 99% sure it happened because of the way my parents react when I ask them about it. Whatever it was, it put me at constant guard ever since I was a small child. I had to learn to deal with that feeling pretty early on in my life and now, without that pressure, I don't feel normal.

2. I'm a natural leader and 'go to guy'. - I can make a plan for everything. Whether it's been thought out or jerry-rigged, I can make a square peg fit into a round hole. I can get things done. People come to me for practically everything. Because I'm always more than willing to plunge my hands into the filth, so they can keep theirs clean. If shit needs to get done, it has to be done now. The world can't wait around for people to decide to do something that's convenient for them. I'll get it done. Even if that means I have to do it for them.

3. I'm good under pressure. Nothing scares me to be honest. The only thing that scares me is fear itself. I'm not saying that I wouldn't be hesitant to jump off a bridge, but I already know what to expect. The only pressure I need to improve on is implied social pressure. Someone giving me the 'cold shoulder' (for example) is the only time I panic.

Anyways, I don't think I'll ever get married because I won't be able to satisfy a wife. Ya know? I'm not some baggage boy. I want my own life, and my own decisions.
 
SwampFox56 said:
Anyways, I don't think I'll ever get married because I won't be able to satisfy a wife. Ya know? I'm not some baggage boy. I want my own life, and my own decisions.
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marriage is obviously a partnership but being married and having your own life and making your open decisions are hardly mutually exclusive.

alasdair
 
alasdairm said:
marriage is obviously a partnership but being married and having your own life and making your open decisions are hardly mutually exclusive.

alasdair
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I phrased that wrong to be honest. I should have said; I'm just not great with women if I'm attracted to them. If I see them as potential friends, I'm totally fine and act pretty fucking normal tbh. But if I'm attracted to them, the awkwardness I feel around them and my lack of understanding of sexual social situations makes getting married a very unlikely thing for me.

I've gotten WAY better with women than I used to be. I mean... I want to get laid (as narcissistic as that sounds) and while I would get in a relationship with a girl if I thought I could (and I do think I can, but I actually need to meet a girl before that can happen...); I have a picture in my head of what life would be like if I was happy and... for some reason, I just don't see marriage being part of that... I'm not saying it couldn't be, but I just don't see it like that.

Also, keep in mind, I'm pretty young. I don't know what my thoughts will be like in 10 years, or even 5 years for that matter.
 
I don't know what country you are in but in the US, a court-ordered hospitalization may very well prevent you from ever being in LE or the military for that matter. All you have to do is make an anonymous phone call to a police department's hiring manager and ask that question.

You can't even own a firearm if you've been committed so I don't see them allowing someone to be a cop.

Like Tude said, have you thought about being a paramedic or firefighter?
 
Jerry Atrick said:
I don't know what country you are in but in the US, a court-ordered hospitalization may very well prevent you from ever being in LE or the military for that matter. All you have to do is make an anonymous phone call to a police department's hiring manager and ask that question.

You can't even own a firearm if you've been committed so I don't see them allowing someone to be a cop.

Like Tude said, have you thought about being a paramedic or firefighter?
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Good information. My psychiatric hold was not court ordered. Does that still effect my chances? And, yes I have. I don't really think that being a paramedic would be right for me. However, I've considered being a firefighter.

My grandfather was a smoke-jumper (he would parachute out of airplanes right into the heart of a forest fire in order to stop it) and I've always thought it would be honerable to follow in his foot steps. I could very well do that. However, being in law enforcement, for some reason, just sounds like it suit my personality better...
 
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Being a LEO can sure be dangerous at times. But i guess in most times it is just boring routine work. Its not like in the movies and its a a lot of paper work. Espacially if you want to help people i can imagine would face some hard times with this profession. Sometimes you dont protect but destroy lifes.

Probably not a job thats on your mind, but one job that comes to my mind, with a lot of pressure and where leader type of persons are needed, is chef at a exclusive restaurant.
 
I'd look into the narcissistic sector..

Top level is attorneys, politicians, surgeons, engineers, CEO's, (some-usually non-liberal) college professor's, High level Law Enforcement...

If you can get the military to ignore the psychiatric history you'd be a great fit there. Clergy is another option.

(fwiw I do not consider narcissism a character flaw, it's actually a huge advantage in the right environment.)

hope my post doesn't ruffle any feathers..
 
Sounds like you should consider being a sales engineer. A rare individual that has the intelligence and analytical mindset, combined with the need for 'action' that sales can provide- never being in the same place, influencing people yada yada.

Highly compensated (I almost wrote constipated haha).
 
^I fail to see how this is helping the OP.

OP, have you considered maybe starting out as a volunteer police officer? It's something you could do in your spare time at first to see if it's what you really want.
 
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