How would you gage your best talents?

[OGGR]

Im having a hard time figuring out what im REALLY good at. I am a fairly gifted person Id like to believe, but I cant decide what I like because things get tedious real fast. Teach me the ways of the force, I will listen... Im not asking for specific advice, but rather an ambiguous answer.. Thank you for your consideration.

 

[alasdairm]

are you trying to work out what you are good at? or what you like? those can be the same but not necessarily.

alasdair

 

[OGGR]

I want both but I would be satisfied with what im best at also.

 

[oreocub]

Do you feel hit and miss? your work/talents being brilliant at one point, and horrible at another?

 

[OGGR]

Well I feel like I could do anything, Im just not sure how to approach my talents and not get burnt out. Im concerned with going to college, choosing the right path.

 

[Sprout]

Well what are you studying currently?

 

[OGGR]

I am just going for my AA in physics.. but I like a lot of things, I just dont know what to commit to. I want to be my best and offer the best, else god would be offended.

 

[Sprout]

My personal position has always been to avoid the typical "I get better grades in this, therefore I have to do this" path - what do you read about in your spare time?
What interests you deeply?
Is there anything you research because it fascinates you, not just because it's relevant to school?

 

[szuko000]

In my personal experience passion and career do not need to be the same thing. I went to college to study chemistry, majored in it for 3 years before the situation lead to me not getting loans and having to come up with a faster exit plan, so I double majored in psychology hoping to finish before I left. Well I didnt, so i sit here making about 13/h in a small office with a shit ton of debt and education.

Was it a waste? Fuck no, why because for a short period in my life i got to bare witness to the collective human knowledge of my passion. If i went to school to get a job or for something i wasnt interested in i would have to say its a waste... but really all i wanted to do in life was learn chemistry. For a brief moment that i took for granted realizing how i was behaving now i go to see what we know about my passion as a species and peer into concepts so abstract and hard to grasp its amazing people before me found out about even the inside of an atom.

If i could do it all over again i would incur more debt without graduating if given the option because learning chemistry from a professor to talk to someone who dedicated their life to what i want to do and have someone even just give me a B+ on my effort as a student, well it was more then i deserve i suppose. But at the same time i am infinitely grateful for the opportunity and have 0 regrets. So when people say "doesnt it bother you that you never graduated or wasnt it a waste?" I get to say "fuck no, i would do that all over with the same outcome if i could" and that is what life is about.

My point being you will discover what you love if you give yourself opportunities. If you dont know what to study take classes you wouldnt have thought of in your first 2 years. Who really knows you could be a botanist or microbiologist and not know it.

 

[OGGR]

My personal position has always been to avoid the typical "I get better grades in this, therefore I have to do this" path - what do you read about in your spare time?
What interests you deeply?
Is there anything you research because it fascinates you, not just because it's relevant to school?

Hmm well I love to build circuits and I love sciences like chemistry. Aside from that type of work I like to grow things, I like herbalore..., flying seems fun, Mycology is another passion Ive had for years, Rallying is also fun, I could be a pro lawyer lol i can recall info really fast (though not my passion, only if i could stick it to the supreme court)

In my personal experience passion and career do not need to be the same thing. I went to college to study chemistry, majored in it for 3 years before the situation lead to me not getting loans and having to come up with a faster exit plan, so I double majored in psychology hoping to finish before I left. Well I didnt, so i sit here making about 13/h in a small office with a shit ton of debt and education.

Was it a waste? Fuck no, why because for a short period in my life i got to bare witness to the collective human knowledge of my passion. If i went to school to get a job or for something i wasnt interested in i would have to say its a waste... but really all i wanted to do in life was learn chemistry. For a brief moment that i took for granted realizing how i was behaving now i go to see what we know about my passion as a species and peer into concepts so abstract and hard to grasp its amazing people before me found out about even the inside of an atom.

If i could do it all over again i would incur more debt without graduating if given the option because learning chemistry from a professor to talk to someone who dedicated their life to what i want to do and have someone even just give me a B+ on my effort as a student, well it was more then i deserve i suppose. But at the same time i am infinitely grateful for the opportunity and have 0 regrets. So when people say "doesnt it bother you that you never graduated or wasnt it a waste?" I get to say "fuck no, i would do that all over with the same outcome if i could" and that is what life is about.

My point being you will discover what you love if you give yourself opportunities. If you dont know what to study take classes you wouldnt have thought of in your first 2 years. Who really knows you could be a botanist or microbiologist and not know it.

I like the idea of discovering new things in those fields, thats what im aiming for. I want to be able to put my full time into completely understanding things (like your prof) so I can think beyond and discover new things. I like physical chemistry as much as I do organic. I want to be able to understand the world. Maybe I can succeed in physical chemistry, I do love albert and the thought of being a physicists sounds exciting. I dont know but talking helps get me through my road block. Then there's the specializations... cant I be super scientist like bill nye lol jk jk wat a shmuck.

 

[szuko000]

Hmm well I love to build circuits and I love sciences like chemistry. Aside from that type of work I like to grow things, I like herbalore..., flying seems fun, Mycology is another passion Ive had for years, Rallying is also fun..how do I commit to one?



I like the idea of discovering new things in those fields, thats what im aiming for. I want to be able to put my full time into completely understanding things (like your prof) so I can think beyond and discover new things. I like physical chemistry as much as I do organic. I want to be able to understand the world. Maybe I can succeed in physical chemistry, I do love albert and the thought of being a physicists sounds exciting. I dont know but talking helps get me through my road block. Then there's the specializations... cant I be super scientist like bill nye lol jk jk wat a shmuck.

Why the F not! I am technically heading in that direction... All my psychology professors thought i was a psych major because of how many classes i was taking, same with biology (took botany as well) but really the definition of what I did was "double majored in chemistry and psychology with a minor in neurology" that was basically told to me based on what i took when i switched on year 4, "well since your in psych with all this biology and chemistry background i am assuming you know the brain and neurotransmitters... putting you down as a minor in neurology then"

I like to say I studied omniscience at Uconn simply because i was taking 100% "hard science" classes and only forced electives in other areas even then it was like "sociology" which is a science lol. If I could I would take everything related to science as i too want to be what the average people call the "genius" I suppose. But believe me i understand and with your desire you just need to discover your true passion. But when I am asked "what is the point of all of this" I say "well i need chemistry to understand the physical universe and psychology to understand the human one" but really the dream is so I can say "i am a research synthetic organic chemist" I would love to spend my days hulled up in some dark lab growing a long white beard talking half nonsense to myself. Be it paid or paid for driving myself broke chemistry is the only thing i want in this world.

 

[OGGR]

lol very nice, I could say the same dream exist somewhere inside me.. locked up in a basement researching organic chemistry by my self kinda like Alexander Shulgins did. Well if I have learned anything its that, maybe I want to study multiple things! Nothings impossible if I desire to learn and discover.. except funding which is a reason enough to sign out and say "fuck you world im getting high in my basement lab" which is in reality, whats going to happen if I dont commit. but then again I can have both if i have a job! hopefully someone can handle my weirdness.

 

[Lysis]

I call hopeful people who haven't tasted what it's really like "bambis." So hopeful and precious but about to get shot by reality.

Find a skill and master it. Something that interests you, but really once you do it for a living, it loses its magic. But, if you're interested in it, you'll be more interested in mastering it. Then, bank on it. Continue to master it and bank more.

 

[OGGR]

I call hopeful people who haven't tasted what it's really like "bambis." So hopeful and precious but about to get shot by reality.

Find a skill and master it. Something that interests you, but really once you do it for a living, it loses its magic. But, if you're interested in it, you'll be more interested in mastering it. Then, bank on it. Continue to master it and bank more.

I wonder what keep all the great minds so interested? Maybe it was learning or maybe it could have been self drive like your saying. im getting a better idea of how I need to solve this.

 

[Lysis]

The great minds are doing their own thing. They aren't chained to a desk 40 hours a week answering to a useless boss that is worth less than the chairs they sit on.

 

[Pretty_Diamonds]

I think school is the best place to explore your best talents. Dabble in a wide range of classes, take whatever interests you (but do choose wisely since you don't want to waste money by getting useless credits). Join clubs, etc. GL.

 

[szuko000]

The great minds are doing their own thing. They aren't chained to a desk 40 hours a week answering to a useless boss that is worth less than the chairs they sit on.

This is a misconception, there is always a latent period in even the greatest of minds life. It is my belief that in order to achieve greatness you must suffer through some of hell to get burned enough to know what it is on the other side. That is to say we all doubt ourselves and we all find ourselves scraping to get by, sure some maybe had it lucky from an early age however, if you get a taste for hell you come out with the focus to achieve your destiny. Otherwise you may expect it to be handed to you.

Even Einstein worked in a patent office. It is what you do in your free time that matters as we all must create an image that is acceptable in society. I had to become a heroin addicted occasional crack smoker to realize i should have tried harder in college, now i will not make those mistakes again because i almost lost the part of myself i value the most.

Hope is what will keep you achieving and the burn of failure will move you forward, unless you forget the purpose of it all... to learn more then you knew the day before.

 

[OGGR]

I think school is the best place to explore your best talents. Dabble in a wide range of classes, take whatever interests you (but do choose wisely since you don't want to waste money by getting useless credits). Join clubs, etc. GL.

Thank you I will consider things when im back in school, I wish I had a better option then community college atthe moment but its all so far away (2 hour drive to Seattle)

This is a misconception, there is always a latent period in even the greatest of minds life. It is my belief that in order to achieve greatness you must suffer through some of hell to get burned enough to know what it is on the other side. That is to say we all doubt ourselves and we all find ourselves scraping to get by, sure some maybe had it lucky from an early age however, if you get a taste for hell you come out with the focus to achieve your destiny. Otherwise you may expect it to be handed to you.

Even Einstein worked in a patent office. It is what you do in your free time that matters as we all must create an image that is acceptable in society. I had to become a heroin addicted occasional crack smoker to realize i should have tried harder in college, now i will not make those mistakes again because i almost lost the part of myself i value the most.

Hope is what will keep you achieving and the burn of failure will move you forward, unless you forget the purpose of it all... to learn more then you knew the day before.

Well working in a patents office would be advantageous thats for sure! No wonder he was so smart and had a good comprehension of whats going on.

 

[Lysis]

This is a misconception, there is always a latent period in even the greatest of minds life. It is my belief that in order to achieve greatness you must suffer through some of hell to get burned enough to know what it is on the other side. That is to say we all doubt ourselves and we all find ourselves scraping to get by, sure some maybe had it lucky from an early age however, if you get a taste for hell you come out with the focus to achieve your destiny. Otherwise you may expect it to be handed to you.

Even Einstein worked in a patent office. It is what you do in your free time that matters as we all must create an image that is acceptable in society. I had to become a heroin addicted occasional crack smoker to realize i should have tried harder in college, now i will not make those mistakes again because i almost lost the part of myself i value the most.

Hope is what will keep you achieving and the burn of failure will move you forward, unless you forget the purpose of it all... to learn more then you knew the day before.

You misunderstand me. Of course people start off in a shit job unless they are born into money and have stuff handed to them. I started my first job at Subway making $4.75/hour. Lots of people start off making shit. But, they go on into greatness doing their own thing after they realize that you can't do much when you're confined to the 9-5 regimen. You have to break out on your own to really do anything significant. Otherwise, you're just producing something for someone else to make money off of your genius. The flipside is that you don't really need to be a genius to make a difference either. You need a great idea, the motivation to follow through with it, and maybe a little bit of luck.

You also don't need to hit rock bottom to do something great either. Lots of people are motivated at 16 to do something with themselves. It's just harder because you don't know anything and have to figure it out.

 

[szuko000]

^ that is true and i have come to understand my "greatest days" will probably be in my 40s or 50s as far as my chosen field of study is concerned. I think younger people have a hard time accepting this shit takes a lot of time and effort too. Sure some people can get lucky due to circumstances when they are young but it is the constant work and unknown reason why you keep going that makes stuff happen.

I think that with proper time management you can find the time to achieve after work, i know i do i work a desk job but still find the time to independently study between 6-10pm and thats all day on my days off. We can all make it work as we both are in agreement that there is no set path and its largely dictated by timing and resource more then anything else.