Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Kaminski  I couldn't work for a nonprofit though, I have a yearning for moolah. |
I'm first going to address this point, because it is a common misperception that there is a conflict between doing good works (through a non-profit or not) and making money. Then I'll address your central concern, what you want to do.
Working for a non-profit doesn't prevent you from making money. You can be a chief executive of a non-profit and make $2 million a year, if that is the value that you bring to the cause. (
The Chronicle: 9/28/2006: Top Nonprofit Executives See Healthy Pay Raises)
Nor does being a "non-profit" mean that an organization is doing good work. The National Association of Chemical Polluters is a non-profit. (OK, so they don't actually have "Polluters" in their name
A "non-profit" is merely a tax vehicle which allows additional donations to be raised and thus has a few corresponding rules that need to be followed. Once you decide what you want to do, and how much money you want to make, whether or not to do it as a non-profit is merely a technical decision.
So don't decide now "I want to work at a non-profit" or "I don't want to work at a non-profit". Leave the decison for later for when you have more information. And if it turns out that your thought is correct, and you won't be working for a non-profit, that's fine. Or you might be surprised and be working at a non-profit (perhaps because you started one!) And that's fine too. For now, leave your options open. The question isn't very important right now.
Now, on to your real question, "I don't know what I want to do, that's why I'm looking for suggestions."
Look at the world and see what you desire to change.
What don't you like out in the world? What makes you mad? I mean, MAD. Or, what makes you SAD? Or, what do you wish there was more of? What do you find EXCITING?
What is your goal for income?
Then use your talents of selling well, to kick ass at HR and PR, to both A) effect a change, and B) make the money you want to make.
"I don't know what I want to do, that's why I'm looking for suggestions."
I suspect your desire muscle is weak. You need to exercise it.
A common occurrence is that children growing up are told what to do by their parents... then in school, they are told what to learn... then they get a job, and are told what to work on. Having never exercised their desire much (aside from a lower energy pursuits such as being entertained), they don't know how to desire. So they say, "I don't know what I want to do, tell me, give me suggestions".
You may find yourself feeling awkward as you take your first stumbling steps to exercise your desire. You have great skills, you're an adult, your ego is pretty happy... and then, you start on a new path, you're not very good at first, and your ego isn't too happy. You may need to tell your ego, "deal with it".
The way to develop your desire is to follow it. In the beginning your desire may be weak, hard to hear, fuzzy. You think, "gee, I guess I'm kind of upset a bit maybe by this situation I heard about, but I'm not sure". The trick is then to follow up on that desire,
even though you aren't sure. Go see for yourself. Take action. A small action. Help
one person. Not indirectly, by helping some cause or by giving money to a non-profit, but by helping that one person yourself. Directly.
(Your ego may not be happy. "I have great skills. I can kiss ass. And I'm piddling about helping just one person when I could be rolling out a big PR campaign?" Tell your ego that you are practicing and you are going to kick ass
soon).
As you follow your desire and take action, your desire will become
stronger. You'll say, "Wait a minute! I really care about
this!"
I recommend you listen to these talks:
http://ted.streamguys.net/ted_carter_m_2006.mp3 http://ted.streamguys.net/ted_sinclair_c_2006.mp3 http://ted.streamguys.net/ted_noujaim_j_2006.mp3 http://ted.streamguys.net/ted_brilliant_l_2006.mp3 http://ted.streamguys.net/ted_smith_a_2006.mp3 http://ted.streamguys.net/ted_ensler_e_2004.mp3
I do not say you need to listen to each one all the way through. I do recommend you listen to each one for a minute. If after a minute, if it doesn't catch your attention, if it doesn't sound interesting, skip it. Go to the next one.
Pay attention to your emotion. Get out of your head for a moment. As you listen, notice if you feel something in your gut. Not just intellectual, "why yes that is problem", but when do you feel an emotional reaction. It may not be a
strong reaction, and that's OK.
If you want more help, report back on if, and where, you got a reaction.