How important is it to spend time on choosing the right career when we are young?

  • Thread starter Thread starter goodcatholic
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Many careers exist now that’s did not exist when I was in school. I think it better to find one’s passion, study and work with what is available related to that. And explore.
 
Shakuhachi said:
I think it better to find one’s passion,
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My passions:
-watching interesting docos on crime/history
-eating strawberry yoghurt
-Internet forums
-watching sports on TV
-playing guitar (below to mediocre skill level)
-playing with my dog
-shopping at the supermarket
-used to be smoking , gambling and *********
 
Hello.

I like what Mother Theresa said about it being more important to be faithful than successful.
 
The way the Western society is set up now requires it’s citizens to have 2 or 3 professions and switch between them depending upon job offers and what is best for their families. No one I know has stayed in the first profession until they have retired. No one has had the same employer from when they finished their education until they retired from working life.
 
Different from my father’s generation. He was with the same employer from age 15 to 60.
 
You’re too young to feel like you’re life is wasted. Do some traveling. Sometimes, that gets the career ideas flowing.
 
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goodcatholic said:
Sometimes you just have to “go for it.” And not think about the opportunity cost “what if I had chosen …” “if only I had chosen …”. No regrets.
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This is so true.

My father had the opportunity to attend college on a full scholarship but his family was dirt poor and he had the opportunity to work and send money home so he took that instead. But he wondered for the rest of his life what might have happened if he had gone.

Similarly, when I quit my job in my 30s to take two years off to go to business school full-time, I knew if I didn’t do it I’d wonder about it for the rest of my life.
 
Lara said:
My parents wanted us to do everything on our own. But I’ve learned since then how important your parents are to your success. Also doctors get their kids into medical school with far more ease than you’d imagine possible upon meeting their kids.
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This can’t be overstated.

Social class is extremely important in the U.S., probably even more important than money. People of high social class have huge advantages that they can pass on to their children, whether it be family connections to find jobs for their kids or just plain being able to help them with what buttons to push (e.g., applying to college).

I also was taught that you’re supposed to get things “on your own” and that if I used family connections it would be unfair to others. Trouble is, if you don’t use whatever advantages you have you’re actually hurting yourself compared to the ones who have such advantages and use them.
 
I feel young people need mentors who are not family members. I also feel we need mentors throughout life. I am 58 and made a poor decision at age 26 that I have regretted ever since. I do not want young people to err like me. I just did not see the big picture, the forest among the trees.
 
I have learned doctors breed doctors.

Teachers breed teachers.

Policemen breed policemen.

Firemen breed firemen.

Lawyers breed lawyers.

Many gravitate toward what they know, what they see, and what they have been raised in. Nothing wrong with that. I once met a young person who aspired to be a clerk at 7-11 because that is all the youngster knew.
 
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