For those of you who love your job........

My background is in aviation, but I currently work for a company that overhauls industrial gas turbine engines.

I operate a gas turbine power plant around Sacramento.  I can't say I love my job but I do like it.  I love getting half my days off but I hate having to switch shifts.  I also like that a majority of time there is only a couple of people on site. 

I know what it is like to want a change.  I worked for a company for 11 years and had a decent job that I just hated.  One day a new manager showed up and got mad at one of my co-workers.  He called us all together and told us if we did not like our f'ing job to get out the f'ing gate.  It was the best advice I was ever given and thanked him for it in my exit interview.  I ended up going to a trade school for about 4 months and then got a job with PG&E in the Bay Area.  Later I took a job working at a power plant.  It was a tough choice to quit a stable job but even on my bad days I have never regreted it. 

Think about this... SOMEONE is living your dream life right now.

The thing about a job, when you strip it down to it's core, is you are doing nothing more than trading your time for dollars. The problem is, your boss/employer is setting the value of that time. And they want it as cheap as they can get it. They will never pay you what you feel you are worth, only as much as they can replace you. J.O.B. = just over broke. Your boss likes to keep you right there, just over broke, too broke to quit, just enough money so you won't steal from him, and dangling a carrot in front of you to keep you running for the next level, working harder so you can mentally fix that "broke" feeling, which immediately upon achieving, you spend yourself into a DEEPER broke level to repair the guilt you feel for the damage done to your personal life and loved ones.Most people never consider firing their boss and going to work for themselves and looking the boss in the mirror everyday.

I have a friend that had my "dream job". I was stuck working for a major grocery chain, I had a BS degree in business, I was moving up the corporate ladder and HATED my job and life. No free time, constant pressure, long hours, divorced, poor relationships with other friends and family due to long hours, stress and always working weekends and holidays, ... the money was good but I knew the company ONLY pays you what they can easily replace with, and not one penny more. There was tremendous turnover from the stress and push for more sales and profit, and I wanted to avoid being pushed out the door. According to the "real world", I was living the good life. My job was a "promotion", and there were 40+ guys on any given day willing to cut my throat to have it.

My Senior Vice-president did the best thing anyone ever could do career wise for me. On Dec. 23, 1995, he called me and wanted a Five-Year Plan from me for my division including P&L, and he wanted it on his desk 8am 12-26-1995, with me holding it in my hot little hands, and his office was 740 miles away. I also had my regular work to complete, and was doing store checks Christmas morning. ( Have you ever tried to get last minute plane flights over the holidays?) This was before the age of laptops, smartphones, wi-fi... In other words, I slept about 4 hours in 4 days at a time when most people were celebrating with their families. I showed up at that meeting, 11 other DM's were there, and the entire DRIVE home from his office, I mentally wrote my DREAM LIFE Five-Year Plan. Back in my office, I put it on PAPER. Somehow, it didn't have me working for the company nor the industry. I described what my ultimate job was, what my life would be like, how much money I would make, how much free time I would have... EVERYTHING. I DEFINED what I felt SUCCESS was to ME. I condensed it to one page, then to 2 short paragraphs, took pictures of the dream life and things I wanted, both long and short term goals, and put it in my day planner and looked at it/read it almost everyday.

Called my friend up, found out he wasn't an employee of that company, but rather an independent contractor, and he negotiated his pay based on his performance, not punching a clock. I liked that even better. I only have 24 hours a day, just like you, but I get more done in 10 minutes than most people can do all day. I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I just had to wait for him to die ( so I could swoop in and get his sweet deal   ).

6 weeks later I went and saw Tony Robbins (yes, the infomercial guy) speak in San Jose, I bought his books, tapes, and started applying what he taught. 30 day program. I can hold my breath that long. I also learned about the power of prayer and putting things in God's hands. You can't do everything alone. Learned about getting a mentor, the power of positive thought and speaking, taking ACTION ...
 

Funny thing I found out, your dream job and life is sitting out there waiting for you to go get it. I got the company name wrong, but everything else on my Five-Year plan "Dream Job/Life", I hit right on the button. I am working in the industry I wanted, I control my schedule, I control how much money I make, I learned how to make my money work for me rather than the other way around...


April 1, 1995, I left that job that was killing me (that I had been at for 21 years). Was it scary? Yep. It is hard to give up that "security" (even though I could have been fired/downsized at any minute). There were some initial sacrifices, but the benefits of having my life back far exceed the risks. We have all been lied to our entire lives. A bird in the hand IS NOT WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH. It's TWO FRIGGIN' BIRDS. Risk takers that TAKE ACTION make all the money. You have to do MORE than just take risks. Consistent daily ACTION is the key.


I recommend INVESTING in yourself, turn off your TV for a month (better yet, ditch that electronic time waster completely--- cut the cable/DirecTV), go to B&N or online and get the book called "The Magic of Thinking Big" by David Schwartz, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyosaki" and then I got "Personal Power II" from Tony Robbins, although he may have a newer program that suits you better. If you are married, I would get your wife to do the program with you. Two oars in the water are much stronger than one paddle. 6 months from now you will thank me.


I have another friend who has far surpassed me in wealth. He stayed at his crummy job during the day, and worked on his developing his wealth on the weekends and a few evenings a week, in cracks of available time. He and I are working together on getting me to his income level now.


Your subconscious brain does funny things to you when you put it to work.

Great Story Troutnut....

  ConGrats on getting your life back....  Awesome.... 

Sorry,  I didn't read the whole thread, but here's an idea if your dreaming about gutting fish in your cube.........Fisheries.

Go to Humboldt and get a Masters in Fisheries.   Field fisheries biologists are always looking for entry level bios' with huge amounts of mechanical aptitude.  Fisheries bios are alway building huge traps, figuring out antennae arrays, building raceways, operating boats, operating drag nets and purse seines.......on and on.

There are many jobs in fisheries in Alaska particularly.   With an MS in fisheries you'd have a good selection.  If you're still reasonably young, you could do this.  You will not get rich, but you will have a blast if you like "squeezin' fish," as we say.

Dave

Troutnut: Thanks for the inspirational story.  If you don't mind sharing, what is the dream job that you left the first one for?

Dave: I have thought about going back to school for something like that.  It would be a huge decision.  Before I go that route, I am going to try to find something that I can do with current experience and education.

Probably a great time to sell books on the subject

funny you mention that.  I just watched a documentary about human emotions and it highlighted the huge industry on self-help and happiness, etc.  They made a point that most of the books out there, while they might help some folks, aren't backed up by any scientific credentials.

I know what you are saying about tough times.  I have to really have my ducks in a row when/if I go for something else.  I do have a decent job and it is relatively secure.  I just hate it, that's all.  I guess it is better to hate your job than have no job at all. 

Great post Ben.  I love teaching, been coaching/teaching since I was 16 or 17.  Good luck in your search for something better, I know it is out there waiting for you.

Bryan

Thanks, Bryan.  Off topic: Haven't seen any delta reports lately.  Have you been hiding, or just getting ready for school?   

Just not much to report.  An occasional 4-5 pounder, but mostly 1-2 pound largies.  No real striper activity yet.  School starts tomorrow.

Later

FYI Park Service is hiring

http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/16/news/economy/park_ranger_jobs/

FYI Park Service is hiring

http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/16/news/economy/park_ranger_jobs/

Thanks Bill

Somehow can't see myself walking around in pants that tight

hahaha... While reading your sentence, looking at the pic, and my brain trying to finish the sentence before reading it, I expected it to finish with...... walking around touching huge-ass snakes....  But, you said walking around in pants that tight....   

Generally, i think educational trends in a family are lamarckian, the F1 generation inheriting the acquired knowledge of the parents.  Its worth considering the effect your career choice has on your kid's career prospects - don't know the stats but I'd guess there is some correlation.  It tends to pay off financially (sometimes) but there's no doubt a huge price paid by the family for the enhanced income. 

1.  My cousin, single dad of a 9 yo girl.  makes 120K+ as an overtime loving retail PharmD. Gets bored, decides to go to medical school OUT OF STATE as a priority over being a dad.  Let's just say the girl has discipline issues, among others.  He'll be 40+ by the time he finishes med school and i'm scared to think how alienated he'll be from his daughter.

2.  40 yo uncle, MechE in a cushy job, 3 kids, married to another MechE.  Gets laid off, wants to pursue a health sciences profession.  Goes UCLA Dental, then 2 year endodontic residency.  He makes crazy bank now, but was basically out of it for six years.  You see where this is going, such a struggle for him to relate now.  Despite both parents having genius level academics (latin honors etc), all three kids have serious "issues" academically, and other things gone astray.

3.  My pops.  Cushy computer engineering gig.  Gets bored, goes to B school = MBA.  Still bored goes to law school = JD.  That equated to a lot of swim meets missed.  It didn't jack us up academically, but I won't lie, it did irk me.  If there is one lesson I learned from pops, though, its that you should go study what you love and just go for it.  In the face of all your other obligations, going for it is a courageous move, and if you are successful and balanced, will set you up as a good role model for your kids, at least academically.

Good point, Yakuza.  My dad was a pretty busy man when I was a kid.  There were many times that we couldn't spend time because he was either working, getting ready for work, or sleeping.  I definitely have to remember to put my son at a higher priority than my 'dream' job.  AFter all, even though I hate my job, I leave work at exactly 3 oclock every day and get home in 15 minutes.  I can count the number of times that I had to work over 8 hours in one day(in the last year) on one hand.  I shouldn't take that for granted. Maybe I should just appreciate what I got, get promoted over time, survive the 8 hours of misery, cash in, and have fun with my son on the afternoons and weekends.  I don't want to completely give up on the dream job hunt, but I need to stop being a little baby and think about my son.