(06-08-2018, 10:00 PM)NYC4jags Wrote:

(06-08-2018, 09:42 PM)HandsomeRob86 Wrote: Find what your good at, and get better at it. Most people don't love their job, its just reality. I think its an entirely new idea to think that a job should be a passion. And I am in healthcare, working on a doctorate. The words 'passion' and 'calling' get thrown around alot. The funny thing is the people who say those words tend to be in it for themselves almost completely. Buzzwords, all empty buzzwords.

You can't look for a job to give you personal fulfillment, that has to come from somewhere else. Maybe doing a good job makes you feel better, or focusing or the parts of the job that you can control and do better. Take pride in yourself and the work that you do, rather than the actual profession.

If all else fails start your own business. It might fail, but at least you will have tired, and you can see if thats really something you want to do. There are lots of businesses out there with low barriers of entry (starting a testing center, finger print place, notary public that also accepts mails like a private ups store etc). Painting, sandblasting cars, a food truck, carpet stretching business. None of these require super special skills, but if you do them honestly and well, you will probably survive.

My point is don't over think it. Find your talent and skills, what talents God has given you, and take those and use them. It seems people feel good about themselves when they feel like they are good at what they do (and when I say people, I really mean men). Don't get to caught up in the wishy washy streams of passion, you could end up bounching from place to place without purpose.

It would be much better to make a list of things that are important to you. What you want out of life, who do you want to spend it with, what kind of story you want to be able to tell your kids about how you rose up. Those questions will probably lead you in a better direction when you combine them with your skills. You get a goal, make a plan, and then carry it out. Its what I am doing right now, and even tho it isn't going completely to plan, I am alright. Just decided what is important to you, and do what you need to achieve it.

Sometimes what you're passionate about and what you're naturally gifted at are one in the same. 
I'm sure it's fairly rare, but it's the case for me.

I didn't say its impossible, but I still remember talking with my father before I went to college years ago about this. He told me that 90% of people don't like their job, and most people will never find one that makes them happy. I have had about 8 professional level jobs since then, and by and large I agree. Most people aren't super happy at what they do. Most employers aren't that great to work for. My bosses have stunk at least half the time. As have a lot of supervisors I worked directly under.

I want to believe that there's a great job out there for everyone, where you get it, and your fulfilled. Then you work there till your retired. I wanted it bad enough to work in 8 different hospitals in 8 years (some of that as short term travel contracts, but 5 of them were actual permanent positions). So I feel confident saying I have tried to find a 'job' that made me happy. But they never did. Some were better than others, but none of them ever filled the gap. So I made an exit plan. I stopped chasing the 'unicorn' job of the 10% and instead decided what was of overriding importance to me.

Personally, I wanted to be an expert, I wanted the option to start my own business, to practice independently. And I wanted no direct supervisors, and minimal bureaucracy above me. No more cattiness and gossiping. I also wanted to be able to spend weekends and holidays with my family more often. I don't need every weekend off, but I don't want to be working every other weekend, and basically every major holiday (or the day after). Those things were what led me where I am now.

So yeah, passion is nice and all, but this idea that your job has to be a calling or a passion is really bogus. Your job has to be tolerable, hopefully enjoyable, but there is no requirement that your job must be your life. If it is and your good with that, more power to you. But the rest of us, we still have to have jobs too, and not everyone's passion can become a job. But everyone has a skill that they can develop that is useful.

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