going for something you love or for the money?

going for something you love or for the money? (Full Version)

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[Poll]

something you love

61% (16)

money

11% (3)

other ... specify

26% (7)

Total Votes : 26

(last vote on : 9/10/2008 1:12:20 AM)
(Poll will run till: -- )

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Konstantinos -> going for something you love or for the money? (6/16/2008 9:37:22 PM)
ok im in a position in my life where i need to answer this question fast. ill add a bunch of info so you can take more into consideration im almost 20 years old ive always been smart, and good with maths, computers and such i used to like computers.. like.. really like them, until a couple years ago or so and ever since i like them less and less ive passed twice the first phase required for entering the math olympics. if you've never heard of it then you probably dont know what im talking about. either way its a paper that more or less says that im one of the smartest 300 or so kids my age in greece when it comes to maths. when i say smart it doesnt necessarily mean studying a lot on them too, just smart ive got proficiency certificate in english and the first certificate in german(though i cant remember a thing) i got 17836 out of 20000 total and to pass in the college i passed it needed around 17200 or so. college in greece is free as long as you pass the exams to get in it. so right now im in the best college in greece for computers(computer engineering and informatics department). if i finished it since im also good at computers and smart, decent starting jobs would be at around 3000 euro per month(4500 dollars). unfortunately i simply really really just dont like it anymore. however like ive stated so far, i COULD be successful. but the real question is would i be? if you hate somethign you obviously will not try all that hard to do it or you'll spend a lifetime in a job you hate. however if you go for something you love, so much that you'd do it for free even, you will devote a LOT of time for it and you will be much much happier going to work and that will keep you happier when you come home to your family or when you go out with friends and such. now what do i like? for the past 10 months or so i started working out to lose some fat at first. later i started liking lifting weights. i started a real program for strength. and the past 3 months ive been going to olympic weightlifting which i really really love. it takes a lot of hard work, every time you get a new record is like getting a promotion and you actualyl better yourself, it takes skill, bravery to a point, good technique, agility, flexibility, good diet, good sleep, power, strength, and to be fast. and if lifting big weights increases testosterone, you could say its manly too. it sure helps me feel more manly so ill add this as a BIG plus. but, bad thing about it is, to become professional you need good genetics, which you cant determine whether you have them or not when you start out. you also need not to get injured (not too bad at least) which you never know if it will happen or not. now for the injury, im willing to take my chances. for the genetics i cant know till ive tried enough. but to try enough i need a good 3 years at least before i can know about it. i will say though that my genetics are probably superior when it comes to lifting generally compared to most people who may lift or not. but thats not good enough. you need to have superior genetics to most people that actually do lift and seriously, which i cant know yet. if i were to compare my progress however to other serious lifters i have around my age at around the same level, i'd still say im a tad bit more forward. anyway to throw in a few more things into the equation: i dont currently have a job, i spend around 1000-1200 euro per month or so(1500-1800 dollars) which my parents pay for. i also want someday a wife, and actually a lot of kids(4-5). if i manage to get professional in ol. lifting, i think the money problem will be taken care of. if i go to college again the same. however if i stop college, get a job and do olympic lifting meanwhile but i turn out to fail ive no idea what ill do. to put things more simply, if i didnt want 4-5 kids i wouldnt even be making this question right this moment, i'd simply quit college and get a job while continuing olympic lifting. (though since college is free and you have up to 7.5 or 10 years(this can change depeding on the current law on it) i'd still enroll myself for every year.. actually im already considered enrolled for the first 5 years anyway) my parents arent the richest people, right now they pay for me and my brother and are trying to pay the bank the money loan for the house they bought a couple years ago.. after that it should be better but i definitely dont like the idea of relying on it. at least not totally. so far ive come to the conclusion of getting a job, maybe even moving back to my parents' house(for money reasons) while continuing olympic lifting. if eventually i somehow start to have an interest in computers again, ill continue(catching up will be no problem, if i WANT to study i think i'd be able to pass the whole 5 years worth of lessons in just 2). if i dont succeed in olympic lifting ill continue college again cause otherwise i'd just be a "loser" my whole life. anyway, what do you all think? if you want any more info just ask

kernsfamily -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/17/2008 8:49:23 AM)
quote: if you hate somethign you obviously will not try all that hard to do it or you'll spend a lifetime in a job you hate. however if you go for something you love, so much that you'd do it for free even, you will devote a LOT of time for it and you will be much much happier going to work and that will keep you happier when you come home to your family or when you go out with friends and such. I have always followed the old saying....."If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life" (within reason of course, that still earns the money you need to live) and, that pretty much sums it up. I am an "Art Director" within the Marketing Department of a France-based multi-national, whose U.S. headquarters are located here in Texas. My wife tells my kids that I "draw and color" all day. Of course, there's more to it than that, but, I am certainly "creative", and LOVE what I do (over the years, I may not have particularly cared for a specific employer, though)..... I make a very good living....and, sure, if I wanted to make piles of money, i would have pursued another career..... but, I love what I do....and, when you have to be at the office for 45-50 hours a week, what's better than that?

Miss Giggles -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/17/2008 11:18:38 AM)
Yeah its hard to work at a job you hate, and then it gets harder to leave when you are making good money.

NoShow -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/17/2008 12:18:55 PM)
As far as the work issue, it seems like you're missing all of the gray between black and white. With your intelligence, there must be dozens of other areas you can go into, besides computers. Yes, there's not much point in going into something you hate, but that doesn't only leave you with the other extreme of going into something you love. Often, going into, something you love, as an occupation is a surefire method of turning it into something you hate. So why not find something that you have the aptitude for, that you also enjoy enough to be dedicated to, and pays well. As far as the lifting goes, your much to "new" at it, to extrapolate out where you'll end up with it. I heard one top coach say that if you consistently stick with it for about five years, you'll get to about 85% of your lifetime potential. And it'll take you another five years to go that last 15% (from 85% to 100%). So why not figure out what would be the best field for you to study, stick with school and train towards your potential in lifting. Based on your intelligence, school should come pretty easy to you; and if you're truly dedicated you can do your school and train towards that 85%. If you think you can't, then I'd have to question how dedicated you truly are. Over the years, I've known many people that have worked and gone to school, while training for national level competition. So than Plan A: establish yourself into a career that you find enjoyable and will allow you to provide for a family; while training towards your lifting potential. Possibly make enough money in said career, so that at some point you can switch careers to something you love and not have to worry that it doesn't generate adequate income. Plan B: Become the next Dimas and have an education that you will never use career-wise.

APZR -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/17/2008 12:41:37 PM)
GET THE EDUCATION FIRST!!! Do NOT drop out of college. Now days, you can't get any decent job without a degree. And with your background, awards, and a math degree, you can do any number of things... not just computers. But get the degree first, worry about career later. Besides, you'll change you mind half a dozen times between now and then, and change it again several times during your working life. I think the average is 5 career changes in an average adult working life. So don't sweat it, you've got a long way to go, and plenty of options to get there.

Karaboo2 -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/17/2008 2:19:15 PM)
I'm with everyone who is saying to finish up your college studies first, ESPECIALLY since the gov't helps you pay for those costs!!! Kids around here would give an arm and a leg to have the gov't cover up to 10 years of school!!! That being said, you say you don't like computing and the like any longer. Is that really the case? Or are you just not liking specific components?? A friend of mine went through school, got two different degrees in computing, and then decided he didn't like doing that work, HOWEVER, he still loved working around computers ... so he switched to graphics engineering. He already had the backgroun training from his two degrees, so it was just a case of going out and getting the hands-on experience from someone in the field. He didn't like what he 'really' trained for in school, but found a way around that into something he loves. Give it a chance. You are only 19 -- you have your whole life ahead of you.

Konstantinos -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/17/2008 2:47:56 PM)
quote: With your intelligence, there must be dozens of other areas you can go into, besides computers. true, but of all the other jobs i could think of i still liked computers most. i liked maths, physics(was really great at it too) and im sure more that i cant remember right now. so there isnt anything else i'd like to do. either weightlifting or computers. but still there is a huge gap inbetween them. now im sure some of you are thinking that i may have liked them but ever since i got in college i stopped because its different when you "have to" study for them as noshow says: quote: Often, going into, something you love, as an occupation is a surefire method of turning it into something you hate. but its not like that. i used to like computers first and foremost for the games. i wanted to be a game programmer. now i dont. i dont even like computer games that much anymore. and let me tell ya ive played a LOT of computer games. compared to back then now i dont even play 1/10th or rather 1/20th of how much i used to play. that alone says something quote: As far as the lifting goes, your much to "new" at it, to extrapolate out where you'll end up with it. I heard one top coach say that if you consistently stick with it for about five years, you'll get to about 85% of your lifetime potential. And it'll take you another five years to go that last 15% (from 85% to 100%). i know, i said it quote: to become professional you need good genetics, which you cant determine whether you have them or not when you start out so i understand this. quote: So why not figure out what would be the best field for you to study, stick with school and train towards your potential in lifting. Based on your intelligence, school should come pretty easy to you; and if you're truly dedicated you can do your school and train towards that 85%. If you think you can't, then I'd have to question how dedicated you truly are. true, i wouldnt really brag about my dedication to something which i currently "hate" to a pretty high point. i just need motivation and the only one right now that i have to stay in college is that SOMEDAY MAYBE ill have a wife and 4-5 kids. and ill admit, its not working all that well considering i dont even know any real(i know lots of fake) christians in greece, much less real women around my age christians... quote: Besides, you'll change you mind half a dozen times between now and then, and change it again several times during your working life thats one of my reasonings for NOT leaving college, i will stay in college. im allowed up to 7.5 or 10 years(depending on the law). i dont plan to totally quit. im just saying that at least for the time being since i dont feel like studying for this at all to just "quit" bothering with it, and i may continue later. quote: That being said, you say you don't like computing and the like any longer. Is that really the case? Or are you just not liking specific components?? there are some lessons i could go without, but they are very very few. my college is the best in greece for computers and is generally pretty great.. but for what i USED to like. so definitely this is not an issue. i still know what i'd want to do if i did go for computers. i just dont like it all in general all that much anymore. now it might help if i added to say that as a kid(and a computer geek) i was more shy in general, i didnt do quite a lot of thigns that i liked so in my opinion i simply didnt "try" lots of things to see what i really liked. now that ive tried weightlifting its like nothing compared to other jobs, even compared to other sports

ta_mosquito -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/17/2008 2:48:22 PM)
I agree with NoShow and Karaboo. Find something you enjoy that will pay - it doesn't have to be something you absolutely LOVE but something you enjoy. Since you're single now, you have less responsibility, so you can invest the time in the weight lifting along with the school and later, the career. Call me practical, but it just makes more sense to me to get a stable career instead of putting all your eggs in the gamble-basket of weightlifting. The career doesn't have to be with computers (but Karaboo's point is well taken - maybe a different component of computer work would better suit), so don't limit yourself.

Konstantinos -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/17/2008 2:50:54 PM)
quote: Call me practical, but it just makes more sense to me to get a stable career instead of putting all your eggs in the gamble-basket of weightlifting. its ok, i appreciate all the answers. granted im sure girls will lean more towards the practical point of view, and guys a bit more towards the gamble. but like i said the only reason for me to continue college right now is for the wife and kids someday, and wives tend to be girls so your opinion will be close to hers i appreciate all the answers btw btw i really really prefer the idea of the gamble basket right this moment...

ta_mosquito -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/17/2008 3:02:13 PM)
quote: btw i really really prefer the idea of the gamble basket right this moment... Well, sure you do. It sounds like more fun. [8D]

APZR -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/17/2008 3:24:08 PM)
One thing I've learned in my career path... it's amazing how your job can morph into other things slightly related, but completely different from what YOU thought. Wanna bet this former software executive never ever thought he'd end up in the Oil biz??? http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,367642,00.html A software exec... working with a microbe that poops oil!!! You never know where you'll end up. [;)]

NoShow -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/17/2008 3:27:27 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Konstantinos quote: Often, going into, something you love, as an occupation is a surefire method of turning it into something you hate. but its not like that. i used to like computers first and foremost for the games. i wanted to be a game programmer. now i dont. i dont even like computer games that much anymore. and let me tell ya ive played a LOT of computer games. compared to back then now i dont even play 1/10th or rather 1/20th of how much i used to play. that alone says something I actually was referring to making lifting your "career" and turning something you currently love (lifting) into something you learn to hate. quote: true, i wouldnt really brag about my dedication to something which i currently "hate" to a pretty high point. i just need motivation and the only one right now that i have to stay in college is that SOMEDAY MAYBE ill have a wife and 4-5 kids. and ill admit, its not working all that well considering i dont even know any real(i know lots of fake) christians in greece, much less real women around my age christians... I was referring to your dedication to be the most that you could be, in both lifting and as a provider down the road. Paying your dues now (over the next few years) in preparation for later.

NoShow -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/17/2008 3:31:00 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Konstantinos quote: Call me practical, but it just makes more sense to me to get a stable career instead of putting all your eggs in the gamble-basket of weightlifting. its ok, i appreciate all the answers. granted im sure girls will lean more towards the practical point of view, and guys a bit more towards the gamble. but like i said the only reason for me to continue college right now is for the wife and kids someday, and wives tend to be girls so your opinion will be close to hers i appreciate all the answers btw btw i really really prefer the idea of the gamble basket right this moment... That's because the gamble is the easy way. Doing both (lifting and career) isn't the "practical" way, it's manning up and is the harder choice.

bzirk -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/17/2008 6:46:47 PM)
Konstantinos, I spoke with a young man (25 years old) last weekend who had a simliar struggle, and he is also very bright (graduated from college before 20 and became a successful banker). It was his study of Romans 12 and prayer to the Lord that dictated what he is doing now and loving it and doing well. No, it's not banking. His love of the Lord was impressive (and I'm pretty jaded and not easily impressed) and to hear his testimony about how the Lord showed him that he was focused on the wrong thing -- namely himself -- was a breath of fresh air the likes f which I seldom hear from young people. But this didn't happen for this young man until he began to ask the Lord how the Lord wanted to use him. Then things became really clear, and the wonderful thing is that all of his talents are being used. Go to the Lord and ask what He wants. Some of us take a long time to do this. Wish I had done that at your age or even at 25 and actually listened to the Lord when He instructed me instead of trying to please myself and everyone else all the while acting partly in fear but calling it doing good. So I went the "sensible" route, and yeah, I made a lot of money and impressed a lot of people, and oh, I was so good -- a regular fair haired girl livin' the American Dream and a good Christian girl who was kind. But I was always dissatisfied because it was really about me. It wasn't until I let go and truly trusted the Lord to order my steps that I ended up doing something I love, and yes, using all of my talents. Don't compartmentalize this part of your life. Give all to the Lord, and what a joyous thing. I say that with great hope and with urgency. That's how Paul said it: quote: Romans 11 33Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 35Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? 36For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things To Him be the glory forever. Amen. Romans 12 1Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

endless_night -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/18/2008 7:29:05 AM)
I am definitely going after something I love-I am not even sure how much Neuropsychologist gets paid but I can't imagine it being that much.

IonMoon -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/18/2008 10:05:09 AM)
I chose other- you figure out what you love; then find a way to make money at it. For instance, I LOVE working with kids. I really enjoyed my time in child care/preschool... but the pay was/is pathetic... so without giving up that love, I found other areas where I could make money--early intervention/children's mental health/research. NOW... I could make MORE money in other areas, so I think there just needs to be a balance of liking what you do and making enough to live comfortably. I have no desire to be rich, but I wouldn't want to scrounge for toilet paper money either... Tara P

GroupW -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/18/2008 10:17:20 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: APZR GET THE EDUCATION FIRST!!! Do NOT drop out of college. Now days, you can't get any decent job without a degree. And with your background, awards, and a math degree, you can do any number of things... not just computers. But get the degree first, worry about career later. Besides, you'll change you mind half a dozen times between now and then, and change it again several times during your working life. I think the average is 5 career changes in an average adult working life. So don't sweat it, you've got a long way to go, and plenty of options to get there. The more I post, the more I find myself telling people "AZPR is right." Just to support his post - here in the US something like 80% of college grads are working in a field that has little to do with their chosen field of study in college. Get the degree first - the rest seems to sort itself out.

redeemedsaint -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/18/2008 11:18:25 AM)
Go for something that you love to do. Don't let money dictate your career path, because you'll be miserable. Been there, done that.

Cloak -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/18/2008 8:40:38 PM)
I voted for Love. Just follow your [sm=heart.gif]! Blessings!

slushie -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (6/24/2008 4:55:25 PM)
Yup, go for something you love. Definitely. All the way.

Earnestandsincere -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (7/23/2008 11:27:44 AM)
Do what you love...the money will follow (that's a book). You are young don't panic. You have loads of time.

Kyrillos -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (7/23/2008 4:10:52 PM)
I voted for "love". Love is always the best option, no matter what. I agree with what others have said about not knowing where your particular career training may take you. That's how I found my way into my current field, not by any sort of direct line from what I had been doing previously, but by casting a wide net, and taking in everything and examining it until I came upon something that "clicked" for me, based on my upbringing and natural, God-given and nutured abilities. I also agree that it can be easy for something you love to become something you hate once you have to try to make a living at it. However, I think it is possible to guard against this by asking yourself some serious questions: Am I hating the field itself, or the pressure to make money (which you presumably will feel regardless of what you decide to do)? If I am sick of this aspect of the field, is there something else I could be doing still within the field that would make me feel renewed in my work? The second of these is what I would worry about with weightlifting. I don't know anything about weightlifting, but I will guess that once you are not actually physically lifting (say, if you become injured or too old to lift as you did at your peak), there isn't a whole lot for you to do with that skill. You simply become an ex-weightlifter, right? That's tough. I would pray a lot about this, and think very hard about it in as logical a way as you can.

iluvatar -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (7/24/2008 10:20:25 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Konstantinos quote: Call me practical, but it just makes more sense to me to get a stable career instead of putting all your eggs in the gamble-basket of weightlifting. its ok, i appreciate all the answers. granted im sure girls will lean more towards the practical point of view, and guys a bit more towards the gamble. but like i said the only reason for me to continue college right now is for the wife and kids someday, and wives tend to be girls so your opinion will be close to hers Even if you don't like working with computers all that much, there's a lot of value in the sorts of skills and thought processes that studying math and computer engineering forces you to develop. These are ways of thinking, planning, and problem solving that a lot of people don't possess. There's also no reason you couldn't find some way to mesh the two fields (or really, any of your interests). I currently work for a small company that sells pro audio equipment to recording studios - there are about 10 of us and except for the accountant, none of us set out to do what we're doing now. We never planned to be salesmen, or office managers, or shipping clerks, or videographers, or marketing directors - we all wanted to either be musicians or recording engineers. But that's a hard market to get into and a hard life once you're there. Somehow, we all wound up here doing jobs that are fairly enjoyable, working with an industry that we care about and are vested in, and we have access to a seriously tricked out studio whenever we want. There are all sorts of people behind the scenes in every industry doing a variety of jobs. You can be involved in weightlifting and in the professional fitness industry without being a pro bodybuilder. -Dan.

deermousie -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (7/25/2008 12:13:36 PM)
I'm the odd one here to go for money, but I'm nearly 60 and our kid is starting college next month (yeah, I married late in life). We need the bucks, I haven't worked (for income) in 20 years, and there's a job I can easily get that pays half-way decent. I can put up with a lot for my kid. Over all, to a young person starting out, I'd advise finding something you love to do and then finding someone who'll pay you to do it.

bzirk -> RE: going for something you love or for the money? (8/11/2008 2:00:04 PM)
There's nothing wrong with working for money. But the "kid" asking for the advice, ought to realize that just working for money isn't enough. Mainly, because there is not always going to be great motivation like a kid to do things for. BTW, I'm in the same boat. I'm working primarily to help pay for my kids' educations. Frankly, I'd like to just write for a living if I could, but the problem is that I don't write well enough to actually get paid for it. [8D] Maybe I don't love it enough. [&:]

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