Reflecting on my soul crushing job

[MelGoddard]

Wow! Six pages of entries.
"great2bedaw" has sure touched some nerves here.

[MelGoddard]

?????can anybody tell me why an 'entry' typed in capitals, not appear in capitals? (like this one?)

[markdoane]

Originally Posted by MelGoddard

?????can anybody tell me why an 'entry' typed in capitals, not appear in capitals? (like this one?)

Your caps key is busted?

[Wayne&Sam]

Not just capitals, but verbs, apparently

[wildhorses]

I have always followed this philosophy:

"If I love my job I'd do it for free, but if I hate what I am doing then the pay had better be unbelievable".

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by wildhorses

I have always followed this philosophy:

"If I love my job I'd do it for free, but if I hate what I am doing then the pay had better be unbelievable".

You mean we could pay you to perform a job you hate?

Reminds one of a joke about a certain service profession which practices late at night . . .

The punch line -- "now we know what you are, let's haggle over the price a bit!"

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by markdoane

Your caps key is busted?

NOPE!
IT WAS TYPED IN CAPS, BUT CAME UP LOWER CASE on the presented page.

[texasvette]

Hating a job but still wanting money, yep, I get it. I was a stay at home mom for several years until we needed more money to live a life we needed not necessarily wanted. I went to work for a family owned valve company (never do that unless you are the family) and it was okay to get my feet wet again but over the 4.5 years I was there it just got worse. Really bad! I took another year off then ended up in Star Trek world, NASA. At first I loved it, engineers vs redneck foul talkers that gave no respect. As I got promoted, more and more, it lost it's shine but the pay was so dang good. I retired 10 years ago at 55 and I have enjoyed most days. I say now that if I had a smart phone back then and could take my dogs to work with me, I might still be there. No one can totally predict the future so I vote for quitting and trying out your plan. If it does not work for you, you still have your intelligence and skills so start over with a refreshed attitude. Good luck.

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by truxpin

a "soul crushing" job with good pay, benefits and steady work?

I'm a firm believer in "money makes the world go 'round" and if the job is really that bad, teach yourself to leave work at work when you clock out, go home and make memories and start putting away that cash from that good paycheck towards an early retirement. Use your good benefits and take those earned days off and make even more memories! Stash away the cash while you can !

I know, easy for me to say right? I used to really hate my job. Time has made things a lot better for me.... Looking back, i'm so glad i didn't quit.

ditto! In spades!

[Ted S.]

I think every kid should spend a summer inside the drum of a concrete truck chipping the dried concrete away. Nice and hot in there, dark, nobody to talk too, big dust boogers at the end of the day. That will make you appreciate life long after. It did for me.

[thiel]

Originally Posted by great2beadaw

Thank you all for your thoughtful responses. I am a CPA and currently work in the federal government. I won't bore you all with the details of what makes the job soul crushing. I'll just say that I don't feel like I am making a difference or doing anything meaningful with my job. There are a lot of people just buying their time until retirement. I understand why... the benefits are great. It's never easy to leave a cushy job, but i have an awesome husband who will support me in whatever I want to do. If I go out on my own, I'll be doing accounting work for small businesses which I have done in the past while I worked for somebody else. I'll be starting from ground zero though. Leaving a six figure job to start at nothing is a mental hurdle I have to overcome. On the plus side, the airstream will get out of storage more and we could really see some amazing places next summer. You can't get time back, right? Thank you all again for giving me your perspective.

I seem to remember at least one accountant who had an airstream and they had turned it into a VERY interesting job. I think it was a panamerica. Can't remember the details.

Anyway, I'd look for an opportunity to shift your work towards something you love, and make that shift while you're still doing your day job so you feel more confident when finally quitting. I bet there are a LOT of mom and pop campgrounds that could use an accountant to come in once a year, clean up their books, do taxes etc.... and it would be helpful if that accountant knew the RV side of things. ("What? You're not claiming the ducks in your pond as livestock? That's deductible!")

[stream rye]

No one can know what path is best for you but you and your partner. However you can definitely benefit from others stories.

I am in a similar position, same age. My career is great, my work interests me mostly, my job benefits are good. So what's the problem? What is good enough for most is simply not for me and fortunately enough my wife.

Long story short we will be full timing in an AS soon enough. We both know there are endless experiences out there on the road for us good and some not so. The construct of put in to a company, do right by it and cash out with enough to have a good retirement where you can finally do what you want works for many. Fortunately my personality has always demanded I question the norm and pursue my passion at any cost.

Life is a serious thing but it doesn't mean you need to act serious all the time. Take a chance, ask yourself: what is the worst that can happen? Will my wife and child eat and have a roof at the end of the day? Will our lives be enriched by experiencing all the world while we are still vital. Yes, yes. Go.
Saw this one on here somewhere..

"If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it." - John Irving

People will try to fill you with anecdotal BS about all kinds of things that can go wrong. These are people who are themselves not satisfied with something in their lives. Know that they will be there later, they will benefit from your experience and you will all be the better for it. Life favors the bold, be bold.

[Mike G]

Originally Posted by great2beadaw

I'm turning 40 next year. I am pausing to reflect on what that means. Does it mean that I really have to stay at this job which has no purpose for twenty or so more years? I know it's good to have a job that pays well, has great benefits and gives me steady paycheck, but for some reason that's not enough to get me up every morning until retirement. I wonder if this is a phase that soon shall pass. Or, if my urge to quit my traditional job and freelance so I can have more time to make memories with my husband in our airstream is pulling at me for a reason. For those of you that went outside the box with your career, do you have any regrets?

I grew up in a blue-collar family. But, my parents sacrificed to put me through private schools where I got an excellent education (despite not applying myself until college). Plus, I was fortunate enough to apply to universities at a time when almost anybody could get in. Graduated cum Laude & got a Master's Degree. Then, I worked for other people for 38 years. Made millions, and am now retired at 63. All much more than I could have hoped for.

BUT, my biggest regret is not having gone out on my own. And once it's done, there's nothing you can do. Forty is a perfect time to give it a shot, assuming there IS something that you would like to try. I thought about it for decades, but did nothing . . .

[wildhorses]

I recently had a couple of friends in their mid to late 40's recently suffer from life altering events, one had a stroke and the other had a heart attack. It goes to show that your life can dramatically change in an instant.

30 Yrs ago my wife and I moved into our 1st house next door to an older couple that retired @ 65 a year later. Once retired their health quickly declined and they passed away within 24 mos. We decided that wasn't going to be our destiny.

Do what you love, love what you do.

[great2beadaw]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to thank all of you for the advice and opinions in this post. I've read most of them multiple times. I decided to take a chance. I've given my notice at work, so 2017 will be the end of a predictable paycheck. I have been working non-stop nights and weekends to build my business, so hopefully the hard work will pay off. I'm making much less, but at least I'm excited to work again. Anyways, just wanted to say thank you and wish everyone a happy holiday season and Merry Christmas! Keri

[rmkrum]

May you live long, and prosper!

[Lily&Me]

Good luck to you.

Maggie

[Utah Man]

Best wishes... may you have great success as a result of your bold move, hard work, and passion for your own enterprise.

Merry Christmas to you... May the Spirit of the Holidays be with you throughout the New Year.

Regards - Ron

[wildhorses]

You will love the freedom but hate the uncertainty. A good friend once told me that when you start you own business every decision you make with be prefaced by "Do I really need to spend the $$?". He was 110% correct, I still try to justify even the little purchases.

We did it in 1996 and haven't looked back ever since, best decision of our lives. Enjoy yourself and try not to work too hard.

FYI - this was our theme song at the beginning:

Boston - Don't look back

[Jeremiwvu]

Congratulations, good luck, Merry Christmas, and in this case most importantly have a fantastic new year.