I'm HUNGRY to do something!

[Dulma]

I want to dedicate my energy and time to a regular project/work/goal that will serve my own personal growth, be of value to others in a profound way, allow me a creative outlet, make financial profit, and involve flexibility of schedule (I am a college student, after all).

I know that may seem like a tall order coming from an 18 year-old but I feel like three more years of college is too long to wait (for me at least) to embark on something as potentially exciting as my career. And I have no interest in letting academics and socializing consume my focus exclusively. I also think that there is no such thing as a tall order anyway.

So I'm curious and would love your opinions, advice, personal stories.
- How do you express your need to contribute and serve while financially sustaining your life?
- Have you ever started a business? What kind and how did you choose what to do?
- Have you ever started a career while you were in your teens or in college?
- If you are someone of many interests, how did or do you choose to turn one of them into a career or project?
- Do you have a career you are in love with, that you couldn't even call "work" because it's so perfect for who you are? How did you get there?
- How did you experiment in choosing your career path?

Basically, I want to earn money, yes, but that would be a perk. I want something that's work but seems like play, that is financially liberating but not a job, that is great now but may or may not be something I'll be obligated to pursue forever, that is fascinating but also contributive. If you can relate, I'd love to hear how you've navigated these concerns.

Any relevant responses will be lovingly received.

[Michael Chui]

Colleges are usually bursting with people who undertake exactly these kinds of projects and would be overjoyed to have people help them out. Look at info boards around campus, go backstage and talk to people, talk to professors who are interested in domain areas that you're also interested in, find email addresses and email them. There are probably lots of paid internships you could take advantage of, too.

I mean... what's your passion? What do you care about? What are you interested in?

And then where would you go, in or around campus, to find more of that?

[Dulma]

Originally Posted by Michael Chui

Colleges are usually bursting with people who undertake exactly these kinds of projects and would be overjoyed to have people help them out. Look at info boards around campus, go backstage and talk to people, talk to professors who are interested in domain areas that you're also interested in, find email addresses and email them. There are probably lots of paid internships you could take advantage of, too.

I mean... what's your passion? What do you care about? What are you interested in?

And then where would you go, in or around campus, to find more of that?

Well, I was thinking more of something that entails me working for me. An internship or a research opportunity with a professor is definitely something I'd like but it's not what I meant in this case, since they entail me working for someone else's aims and needs. If ya catch my drift.

[Michael Chui]

Originally Posted by Dulma

Well, I was thinking more of something that entails me working for me. An internship or a research opportunity with a professor is definitely something I'd like but it's not what I meant in this case, since they entail me working for someone else's aims and needs. If ya catch my drift.

The reason I suggest that is that, by working for someone else's aim, you get a sense of what's necessary to do something so that when you figure out what you want to do for yourself, you know how to go about it.

I can't really use my life to advise you, and I don't know you at all, so I can't really suggest anything specific.

[Clint Cora]

A couple of things. First of all, college is not just about studying courses to be used in a future career. Quite often, many people will end up doing something completely different compared to what they took in college anyway. But that doesn't mean college is useless. It's a time to train your mind so that you will be a more efficient thinker in the future.

Also, college is a great place to develop your people skills, which will be the key factor in your future success whether you end up working for others or yourself. It's much better to hone in on these skills on campus than say at a future office.

Many have chosen some fields while at college and then perhaps do some side projects for experience and some money. But don't discount the experience even if such projects are not money makers. Then upon graduation, one can start careers working for others just to bring in some money but also to really absorb what various fields are like. It's almost like a training camp. Learn what you can while making money at it and when you feel you are ready, you can then go off on your own.

Many have found this to be a good success path to take.

[Dulma]

Originally Posted by Michael Chui

The reason I suggest that is that, by working for someone else's aim, you get a sense of what's necessary to do something so that when you figure out what you want to do for yourself, you know how to go about it.

I can't really use my life to advise you, and I don't know you at all, so I can't really suggest anything specific.

Haha. Thanks for the words of advice though

[Dulma]

Originally Posted by Clint Cora

A couple of things. First of all, college is not just about studying courses to be used in a future career. Quite often, many people will end up doing something completely different compared to what they took in college anyway. But that doesn't mean college is useless. It's a time to train your mind so that you will be a more efficient thinker in the future.

I definitely agree. Besides, choosing your concentration to fit your tentative career path is overrated, IMO. I like practicality but learning for the sake of learning is kinda my thing.

Also, college is a great place to develop your people skills, which will be the key factor in your future success whether you end up working for others or yourself. It's much better to hone in on these skills on campus than say at a future office.

Great point. Especially in terms of networking.

Many have chosen some fields while at college and then perhaps do some side projects for experience and some money. But don't discount the experience even if such projects are not money makers. Then upon graduation, one can start careers working for others just to bring in some money but also to really absorb what various fields are like. It's almost like a training camp. Learn what you can while making money at it and when you feel you are ready, you can then go off on your own.

Many have found this to be a good success path to take.

I think that's what I'll do. Kinda use these four years as a time for experimentation. Thank you

[OptimistPrime]

Originally Posted by Dulma

I want to dedicate my energy and time to a regular project/work/goal that will serve my own personal growth, be of value to others in a profound way, allow me a creative outlet, make financial profit, and involve flexibility of schedule

Cool, that's what I do!

Originally Posted by Dulma

I know that may seem like a tall order coming from an 18 year-old

Not at all! I decided to start looking for a career like that when I was 19.

Originally Posted by Dulma

So I'm curious and would love your opinions, advice, personal stories.
- How do you express your need to contribute and serve while financially sustaining your life?

I don't have a need to contribute and serve any more. I realized that believing that I need to do either of those things to be happy is an impediment to my becoming unconditional happy. So now I just contribute when I feel moved intuitively to do so.

But I express my desire to contribute by asking the Universe to bring me opportunities to do so in right timing, and then making use of them when they appear. I've recently given up on the goal of taking up a specific trade, craft, or art and defining myself in terms of being someone who does that trade/craft/art for a living. Whenever I do that, I inevitably begin to feel conditionally happy. The only "job" I've ever been able to conceive of that's big enough to make room for my unconditional happiness is Being Myself. I don't really care what I do, as long as I'm Being Myself while I do it.

As for financial sustenance, I've received that via my parents. I've lived with them for the past 8 years; they both love having me live here, and I get along well with both of them, so I don't mind the arrangement, either. Neither of them have ever expected me to move out, or even to go out and get a paying job. Judging from what I've heard from other people who've lived with their parents, this appears to be a rather extraordinary situation. I used to think that I was just extremely lucky, but I've come to realize that this is just the Universe's way of bringing me money (in the form of free room and board, free Internet access, etc.) in return for doing (or rather, being) what I love.

Originally Posted by Dulma

- Have you ever started a business?

Nope.

Originally Posted by Dulma

- Have you ever started a career while you were in your teens or in college?

Only if you consider Being Oneself a career. (I do, but you might not. )

Originally Posted by Dulma

- If you are someone of many interests, how did or do you choose to turn one of them into a career or project?

I wasn't willing to pick just one, so I bundled them all into one mega-career and did that.

Originally Posted by Dulma

- Do you have a career you are in love with, that you couldn't even call "work" because it's so perfect for who you are?

Yes!

Originally Posted by Dulma

- How did you experiment in choosing your career path?

I tried several jobs, college classes, an apprenticeship, and some pro bono spiritual careers. I ultimately realized that I was trying to do each of these things in an attempt to get at that which I truly desired: Being Myself. So I cut out the middle man, so to speak, and decided to make that my vocation.

Originally Posted by Dulma

Basically, I want to earn money, yes, but that would be a perk. I want something that's work but seems like play, that is financially liberating but not a job, that is great now but may or may not be something I'll be obligated to pursue forever, that is fascinating but also contributive. If you can relate, I'd love to hear how you've navigated these concerns.

Being Myself has provided me with all of the things you described. But you might be a person that would prefer a more traditional career, so I'm not gonna tell you that the path that worked for me will also work for you.

[Dulma]

Originally Posted by OptimistPrime

I don't have a need to contribute and serve any more. I realized that believing that I need to do either of those things to be happy is an impediment to my becoming unconditional happy. So now I just contribute when I feel moved intuitively to do so.

Wow, thank you for that. I'll be pondering those words, and hopefully living them.

But I express my desire to contribute by asking the Universe to bring me opportunities to do so in right timing, and then making use of them when they appear. I've recently given up on the goal of taking up a specific trade, craft, or art and defining myself in terms of being someone who does that trade/craft/art for a living. Whenever I do that, I inevitably begin to feel conditionally happy. The only "job" I've ever been able to conceive of that's big enough to make room for my unconditional happiness is Being Myself. I don't really care what I do, as long as I'm Being Myself while I do it.

Nice. Really good advice. Thanks for your insight.

[OptimistPrime]

You're most welcome. And good luck!

[Andras]

There are a lot of ideas to start a home business, and there are organizations and web-pages for volunteering, check(Google) your locale. Do not mix the two too much. There are different!
Usually, concepts/ideas germinating in our mind are different from reality, hence many things will become clear once you actually start something. Do not give up too easy, it is a common character flaw ("does he ever finish anything?") to start and quit something. If you find however something to be a real drag on your quit after giving it your best. The time-frame is the key, a quitter quits after a few days, a person of character will hang in there for weeks/months. It is all to form a TRUE perspective.

My Entrepreneurial/Home Business Blog

[AngelPsychic444]

Originally Posted by Dulma

I want to dedicate my energy and time to a regular project/work/goal that will serve my own personal growth, be of value to others in a profound way, allow me a creative outlet, make financial profit, and involve flexibility of schedule (I am a college student, after all).

I know that may seem like a tall order coming from an 18 year-old but I feel like three more years of college is too long to wait (for me at least) to embark on something as potentially exciting as my career. And I have no interest in letting academics and socializing consume my focus exclusively. I also think that there is no such thing as a tall order anyway.

So I'm curious and would love your opinions, advice, personal stories.
- How do you express your need to contribute and serve while financially sustaining your life?
- Have you ever started a business? What kind and how did you choose what to do?
- Have you ever started a career while you were in your teens or in college?
- If you are someone of many interests, how did or do you choose to turn one of them into a career or project?
- Do you have a career you are in love with, that you couldn't even call "work" because it's so perfect for who you are? How did you get there?
- How did you experiment in choosing your career path?

Basically, I want to earn money, yes, but that would be a perk. I want something that's work but seems like play, that is financially liberating but not a job, that is great now but may or may not be something I'll be obligated to pursue forever, that is fascinating but also contributive. If you can relate, I'd love to hear how you've navigated these concerns.

Any relevant responses will be lovingly received.

My suggestion would be to get into energy healing or psychic reading, or both. Your spiritual growth would take on new and unreal aspects that would benefit you greatly and you would also be able to make a little bit of money. In the two areas I mentioned, skill level, meaning how you good you are at it, determines how much money you can make.

I've worked in both areas myself, and I didn't make unreal amounts of money, just a little bit, but my spiritual growth really took off. I could go on and on... but I think you understand what I mean. Working in these areas was fun too, and it didn't seem like work!

[Dulma]

Originally Posted by AngelPsychic444

My suggestion would be to get into energy healing or psychic reading, or both. Your spiritual growth would take on new and unreal aspects that would benefit you greatly and you would also be able to make a little bit of money. In the two areas I mentioned, skill level, meaning how you good you are at it, determines how much money you can make.

I've worked in both areas myself, and I didn't make unreal amounts of money, just a little bit, but my spiritual growth really took off. I could go on and on... but I think you understand what I mean. Working in these areas was fun too, and it didn't seem like work!

Mmm, I like the idea of energy healing. I do intend to explore that. Psychic reading may not be the thing for me. I'm too sensitive to let myself mix with other people's psyches and energies more than I already do unwillingly