Finding a job I love...

[shenyanbin]

Hi guys! I'm new on this board and find it really interesting.
After having read through this site, I'm sure many members here pursue or already succeed in "finding a job they love and never have to work a day in their life"...Well, I didn't.
I've worked in very different industries, doing different jobs such as analyst programmer, restaurant manager, cook, wine retailer...farmer... Presently, I work as a Chinese-French freelance translator and also teach French. I don't make a million bucks but still can live decently and have plenty of work. Unfortunately, I'm literally bored to death, hate working long hours front of a computer, my health is a mess and I feel like a donkey walking around a stone mill, day after day, heading to nowhere.
Do you have any suggestion on how to find a job I'll enjoy and how to achieve this goal?

[Alice Hive]

Originally Posted by shenyanbin

Hi guys! I'm new on this board and find it really interesting.
After having read through this site, I'm sure many members here pursue or already succeed in "finding a job they love and never have to work a day in their life"...Well, I didn't.
I've worked in very different industries, doing different jobs such as analyst programmer, restaurant manager, cook, wine retailer...farmer... Presently, I work as a Chinese-French freelance translator and also teach French. I don't make a million bucks but still can live decently and have plenty of work. Unfortunately, I'm literally bored to death, hate working long hours front of a computer, my health is a mess and I feel like a donkey walking around a stone mill, day after day, heading to nowhere.
Do you have any suggestion on how to find a job I'll enjoy and how to achieve this goal?

Well, what did you enjoy most and why? What do you enjoy doing generally (do you have hobbies?) (what are you interested in?)?

[learnalifetime]

Originally Posted by Alice Hive

Well, what did you enjoy most and why? What do you enjoy doing generally (do you have hobbies?) (what are you interested in?)?

Yes, you have to figure out what you do like doing, without looking at what you dislike.

I found out that I loved the things I did all the time, but working for an employer just isn't for me. That single thing made me unhappy at all my jobs.

Just look for the things you love, and eventually you'll see the whole picture. You'll know by then what is wrong about your current jobs, and how it should look.

Why don't you just write down you dream... write down everything that pops into mind... and see what happens

[shenyanbin]

Originally Posted by Alice Hive

Well, what did you enjoy most and why? What do you enjoy doing generally (do you have hobbies?) (what are you interested in?)?

Doing sport is what I enjoy the most, I ran several marathons, play table tennis, soccer, read hundreds of book about sport... But I discovered it in my twenties, so my level in rather low...Moreover, since I have a kid, I try to spend as much time as possible with him, giving me even less time to train.
I already thought over how I could correlate this hobby with my carrier, but didn't find an answer...Obviously, owing to my poor level, I' m not qualified to become some kind of personal trainer in any field...and it isn't lack of confidence.
I also considered opening my own sport club (a gym?) but where I live now (Shanghai,China) the initial investment is simply too much for me.

[shenyanbin]

Originally Posted by learnalifetime

Why don't you just write down you dream... write down everything that pops into mind... and see what happens

Good idea, I'll give it a shot, thanks!

[Clint Cora]

I would say keep exploring. It's a positive sign that you are already thinking about actively pursuing something that you like and something that suits you well. Perhaps one thing I would suggest is before you jump into a new career, spend some time to talk to those who are already working in that field to get a better idea of their day to day work life.

You never know if something will pop up in that job that will not gel with you. Better to be forewarned than get into another career only to find that there's something involved that doesn't suit you.

[shenyanbin]

Originally Posted by Clint Cora

I would say keep exploring. It's a positive sign that you are already thinking about actively pursuing something that you like and something that suits you well. Perhaps one thing I would suggest is before you jump into a new career, spend some time to talk to those who are already working in that field to get a better idea of their day to day work life.

You never know if something will pop up in that job that will not gel with you. Better to be forewarned than get into another career only to find that there's something involved that doesn't suit you.

Thank you Clint. That's a wise advice. I already talked with many people working in the sport industry in China, especially with gym's personal trainers since lifting weight and running on a treadmill seem to be the fastest growing sport among young people. I even joined a gym for one month to observe the trainers and read some books about bodybuilding. Most of them are young and I found out that they could get a trainer certification in only five days...Intrigued, I investigated training centers delivering certifications around Shanghai to find out that the longest training session last 11 days and a fee of about 1000$. So I concluded the certification was not more than a pass you buy to get a job, very normal thing in China (you can buy your driving licence for 40$ by bribing the policeman conducting the exam).
It didn't shock me that much, since I believe experience always prevail over education, what upset me more was that those training centers guaranteed a job at the end of the training with a miserable salary and new trainers don't seem to be able to make good money from private sessions. Neither do more experienced trainers as I understood ...Gym's boss don't care since they can supply with freshly cheap certified trainers anytime.
Incomes issue somehow made me give up the idea of working in sport industry in China.
I also noticed that relationship between trainers and trainees and between trainees was quite impersonal, a lot look bored... I didn't find the atmosphere expected in a sport club (exchange between trainees, trainers shouting on you and pushing you to the extreme, stern discipline,mutual encouragements and social relationship through ponctual events). I thought it was a specificity of gyms but I found the same behaviours in a table tennis club. That made me think....well, dream, if I got money, I'd open a gym with well-paid trainers and make sure all the trainees make progress, keep motivated, and giving them the possibility to participate in social or sport events organised by the club like parties, semi-marathon, exchange with other gyms, seminars or whatever...Maybe one day!

I won't give up my work so easily, but I definetly want to change direction. How to find out in which industry I could have fun and still make decent money?? Maybe I still need to dig deeper in my mind...

[Rimuel]

This may or may not help you: what is your MBTI type? If you haven't taken the test before, here's a free test: Personality test based on Jung and Briggs Myers typology

I have a theory that could help you assuming that you've found your true type. If you are a XXXP, you will benefit most from just trying what you see might lead you to your goal. The more you try, the more ideas you get. If you are a XXXJ, you would benefit more from secondary information gathering and planning.

In general, EXXP would benefit more from exploration than IXXP.

[shenyanbin]

Originally Posted by Rimuel

This may or may not help you: what is your MBTI type? If you haven't taken the test before, here's a free test: Personality test based on Jung and Briggs Myers typology

I have a theory that could help you assuming that you've found your true type. If you are a XXXP, you will benefit most from just trying what you see might lead you to your goal. The more you try, the more ideas you get. If you are a XXXJ, you would benefit more from secondary information gathering and planning.

In general, EXXP would benefit more from exploration than IXXP.

Thank you for your reply.
sounds right, I'm a XXXJ and I love planning