Career advice

[gbarv]

Hello, I’m quite in a predicament here; I really don’t know what to do with my life. I can't decide on anything I would like to do. I’m very changing in my tastes and what I like one day, I find utterly unappealing the next. Currently, I’m about to get my bachelor’s degree in Mechatronics Engineering, but have to say that I don’t like it at all. It’s a pain to go to school each day and my only motivation is the thought that it will be over in three months. When I started college I was really excited the about it, but now it just doesn’t make sense.

I’m 22 (23 in a few months), I think I’m still young enough to start over, and go for something that I’m really passionate about, but while I have some ideas as to what to become, I’m afraid it might be just another pang of fancy, and end up disappointed again.

I remember I always dreamed of becoming an investor when I was a kid, I found it absolutely fascinating and while I didn’t know exactly what they were for, I always looked at the stock indexes with a smile on my face.
5 years ago I decided to go to college; I didn’t know at all what program to choose. I didn’t know what I had to do to become an investor and I was thinking of studying economics, but at the time I was obsessed with Formula 1 and Rally racing, so I really dreamed of becoming a designer for a team, this was the main reason I chose my major at the university, but I was also influenced by the fact that the program I’m in had the reputation of being very hard, and I wanted to challenge myself, in addition to that, many of my high school best friends were going to study engineering at this university, so that was an influence too.

Now, that college is almost over, I thought of following my childhood dream and was considering enrolling in the CFA program, but decided not to act so hastily and give it more thought lest it should become another disappointment.

Also, about two years ago I became very passionate about learning foreign languages; I improved my English and taught myself French, I love this but wouldn’t really like to become a teacher or a translator or interpreter. I also love to read literature in the languages I learn and sometimes fantasize about becoming a fiction writer, but in foreign languages, I wonder if this is even possible.

I’ve also considered studying International Relations, which would fit nicely with my liking for languages.

At some point, I’ve even thought about being a pastor/missionary. I also would like tp play the violin, chess, competing in triathlons. OMG, so many choices and only one life.

The only thing I’m absolutely sure I would like to do is to live in different countries, not merely travel, but live in each country for 5 years or so and then move to the next and so on. I would like to live in Israel, Japan, Brazil, anywhere in Europe. Actually I think I wouldn’t care what career to choose as long as it would allow me to do this. My career would be more like the means to achieve this.

So, what do you think? Will I ever make up my mind and pick out anything or will I always live in doubt and indecision? I don’t know what to do, but need to decide quickly, time is beginning to run out and I may be too old before I decide on the path to thread.

[magi13]

Why don't you expose yourself to the things you think you'll have fun doing and decide from there. It doesn't matter what you try first, because that's the good part. It'll be an exciting journey.

[geekmba360]

I had the exactly the same problem when I came out of college 10 years ago.

In fact, I was one course short of getting my degree in computer science, and I was seriously considering changing majors because I hated what i was doing. I ended up finishing the degree.

Looking back, I offer a few suggestions:

1) you need to accept that you don't know what you want to do with your career, and that's okay

2) give yourself some time to try different things -- it's okay if you don't make a lot of money in the next few years. You like investing, maybe you should try to join a financial firms to get some experience.

3) you like launguages -- that's great. Would you be open to teach a foreign language? or work as a tour guide in a foreign country? When you feel the sparks, try to pursue that.

Finally, I've written a detailed blog post on this topic, you might want to check it out (Are you interested in a lot of different things, but not sure what exactly you want to do about your career?)

hope this helps,
GeekMBA360

[joeljonathan]

Why not do it all? Write down 10 goals and then just buckle down and get them all done no matter what it takes. Once you complete the 10 goals then pick another 10. You get to pick the goals its all up to you.

[SMA]

Hi, gbarv;

You're young -- stop worrying!

It's wonderful that you have so many passions and interests, and the way the world works now is different...you no longer have to 'decide' what you want to do and then stick with that forever.

You definitely have some time to explore, and could also consider doing something you're good at (but don't necessarily love) to make money while you explore your various passions and get to know yourself even better.

Things will become clearer with time, and nothing is ever written in stone. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that flexibility in changing scenes is a huge strength that many 'traditional' people do not have, to their detriment.

Enjoy this stage of exploration instead of resisting it, if you can. You have the choice and varied interests that would make a twenty-year cubicle veteran green with envy.

Just me two cents!

SMA

P.S. If you're really ready to start narrowing your choices, you may enjoy the articles at Follow Your Path - try this one: Are You Living Your Life With Passion?

[soulglider]

You are in basically the same situation as I was in a few years ago, and once again have found myself in.

I just got up and moved to China. I used to study Mechanical Engineering, but decided midway that it wasn't for me and that my passions went further than designing mechanical objects. I started learning Chinese and studied abroad there to see if I liked it. I did and came back after college.

There is no rule that says that you have to pick one of your interests and only pursue that. If you like investing, then you can put part of your earnings aside for investing - there you are now an investor. You like learning foreign languages - so move abroad.

I play music as well, and sports and video games. You can do all of those. I have a piano and guitar at home that I play whenever I get the chance and even joined a band while abroad. I play on sports teams here in China and there are always plenty of video gamers / Chess players abroad.

If I were you I would move abroad. The best way to do that is by starting as an English teacher and then when you've gained fluency in the language you can move on to other things.

I agree with the post above me that talks about goals. If you want to do so many things and not get in a rut of never getting good at anything, you have to be extremely dedicated and focused through specific goals.

You can check out what I've been doing at my blog: www.beyondbounds.org

Good luck! I love to see other people with many interests in life.

[lalitearns]

can anyone advice if there is any scope working freelancer online ?

[lalitearns]

Hello. i wanted to know...how would the present world economy effect job openings in the future?

[ken nubo]

I seriously think you should read 4 hours work week -- create a muse that makes cash, then "find out your passion". (even if your passion makes no cash, who cares, you got cash in everyday)

I draw -- it doesn't make me money, because I suck at it -- but I get my cash money from the Internet, so it's all good.
__________________
Here's how you can make $400 by the end of the week on the Internet, cold hard cash -- the methods are free!

[gbarv]

Thanks guys for your responses and support, nice to know I’m not the only one.
I've met people with a variety of interests but often they are either somewhat related or they are only a few, my case is crazy. Also my reading choices reflect this; I just finished reading about genetics, now I’m reading about ancient Chinese history, he he. But I should think this as an advantage and not a problem.
I also think part of the problem is that I am a kind of an "all or nothing person", and I used to think if I'm not going to be the best at it then it's not worth doing it, you're either the best or not at all. So that kind of said to me I had to choose one thing and be the best at it. Very dangerous point of view, I need to change this way of thinking.
I would love to move abroad, but I don’t know if I could teach English since I’m not a native speaker and I don’t think Spanish teachers are in demand. If an opportunity arose I wouldn’t hesitate to take it, I’m kind of bored know I’ve lived in the same city all my life, not great for a person like me.
Another problem is I don’t know what I’m good at, I remember doing a sort of “Intelligence test” back in High School and the results I got pretty much were the picture of me; most of students did great in one area and not so great in the others, I didn’t excel in any particular area but had a very balanced score. I still was one of the top scorers at that test, the others usually got a great score in one area and average in the rest of the test, I was above average in all areas but didn’t get an extraordinary score in any.
So, yeah I’ll continue exploring different paths but I’ll try to keep them at a low number, you know “jack of all trades, master of none”.

[gbarv]

Sorry for the lack of space between paragraphs in the above post.

[Grandiouse]

In the same situation as you, gbarv. It's hard because you see people who are older than you and they talk about "living with passion." You admire them and want to do exactly that, but then you don't really know what your passion is or what you are good at. In the meanwhile, life is happening and you have to find ways to get income.