You vs. the Cubicle (Blog)

[Vermilion Sparrow]

Originally Posted by Dimond

Vermilion, just take action instead of thinking about doing something. Even if it isn't correct or permanent, just taking action can lead to all kinds of things.

Um, just do what, exactly? That's what I get stuck on. If I had a passion, I might have some idea of what to do, but there's no one thing I'm passionate about. There's not even anything I excel at above everything else (I am, however, very good at most things I've tried -- I just get tired of them rather quickly).

I know, I have to quit my job, but then what? Nobody can answer this for me, and I understand that coming up with the answer myself is something I have to do, but it just hasn't been forthcoming.

[alexhere]

Originally Posted by Vermilion Sparrow

Um, just do what, exactly? That's what I get stuck on. If I had a passion, I might have some idea of what to do, but there's no one thing I'm passionate about. There's not even anything I excel at above everything else (I am, however, very good at most things I've tried -- I just get tired of them rather quickly).

I know, I have to quit my job, but then what? Nobody can answer this for me, and I understand that coming up with the answer myself is something I have to do, but it just hasn't been forthcoming.

This exercise might help you: How to Discover Your Life Purpose in About 20 Minutes

[Angela]

You might be putting too much pressure on yourself with the word "passion," Vermillion Sparrow.

Try simply listing out things you enjoy doing, and what you enjoy about them. Not necessarily things that are "jobs," but the things you just love to do -- especially the things you'd pay someone to be *allowed* to do.

Just start focusing on what you want. It doesn't have to be the "right" answer; it doesn't have to be your dream career. Just speculate, and see what thoughts have you feeling good.

[jennyfluteplayer]

Hi there, I've been following this blog for a couple years now, and always appreciate Steve's point of view. I think this article is a good motivator for people who find themselves unsatisfied with cube life.

I like my cube, my coworkers, my bosses, and my daily tasks. At first it was just a way to earn money, somewhere I ended up. The truth now is that I find working from within Big Brother's red tape and helping the public satisfying. My husband works from our home with our home-based business (cleaning agency) and is there every day to meet our daughter at the school bus. And less than an hour later, she greets me with my love reflecting back from her eyes. For me, this is heaven. I don't feel stuck because I do see other options and I keep reassessing and choosing this particular situation.

Maybe the fact that we do own our business makes me feel more liberated than the typical cube worker. I have the solid salary of my job, plus we can make a little extra through the business if we find ourselves in need.

Or maybe it's the fact that I was neglected, abused, and abandoned by my family and had to survive on my own at 16. I made it through college (which took ten years) sometimes living out of a car, often working multiple jobs, and dangit, I'm really happy to be in my current situation. This is what I wanted- a stable home, job, and family. I need this time to relax a bit and enjoy what I've created.

That said, I don't expect to be here ten years from now, because people do change and I'm willing to be open and allow that for myself when I feel the time is right. I promise to stay aware of my career options and no matter what, enjoying the heck out of this life.

[-B-]

Great article, Steve, and you seem to be doing a great job with chanelling the passion of the desire to empower others. I also sense some grief in the article, that people do, are, and will continue to sabotauge and entrap themselves, which I suppose is part of what adds to the passion of it.

[AdamA]

I stopped working a traditional job decades ago. I occasionally take a consulting gig for a short time if it interests me and brings bliss to my life.

Gene,

Inspiring! Did you have to just quit your job without a plan? Or did you build some passive income on the side first before quitting your job?

[Gene]

Originally Posted by Daffy Duck

I'm interested in what you do, Gene. Send me a PM!

You have a PM.

[timeforchange]

I've read the article, but I am confused on how to financially survive based on the advice in the article.

Current situation
I have created a reality where I am working in a job that I do not enjoy for a number of reasons, including disliking some of the people I work with, lacking flexibility to live how I want (including waking up early to work all day long), not feeling truly passionate about my tasks, and having a boss order me around. On the positive, I do make a good salary and have a graduate degree to fall back on.

What I have learned
I've learned that I want more flexibility in my life and job whether to take a day off here and there, travel when I want, work when I want, and more.

My passion
I really love the internet and learning about new topics and would love to live off the web. I have had some limited successes and I am currently focusing on one website at this point, which is being built.

My confusion
I really want to leave my job within a few months, but I do not see how I can just leave my job and stop getting paid. I have no other income at this point. Steve says we are giving away our power to the bills, roof, and food, but how am I supposed to support myself? I would think I need to start making money off the web before I leave my situation.

If anyone could share their thoughts, I would greatly appreciate it.

Timeforchange

[kniyogi]

Originally Posted by James81

Please don't do this.

Yes, it's possible to be successful in this world without an education (a very SMALL percentage of people have done it), but you are purposely stacking the odds against you by doing so.

I mean, not going to college is one thing, but to quit high school is something else. Most of the people I know who quit high school is working some crappy job making a crappy wage.

I don't think this article is geared towards people in school at all. And I would think that Steve would say such, since he has a college education himself.

I agree. Be patient. This is not said often enough on this forum. Losing patience is losing half the battle. Don't make major life decisions just because a blog post pumped you up. Be patient. Accept what you have in your life right now, and make empowering plans for the future. Those plans may take ten years to fulfill, but you would feel wiser ten years from now.

[Dimond]

Vermilion (and anyone else struggling), it makes no sense to spend years wanting to make a change and doing nothing. Just do something, anything even small to get yourself away from your current situation. It can be take a class or workshop, it could be join a group, take up a new hobby, anything you can possibly do so you aren't just unhappily thinking about doing something for years. Minor action leads to all kinds of things. It's not necessary to know anything for sure when you make these small choices. Whatever you have a slight interest in, explore until you find something you love. Then eventually you take more action and hopefully you will end up turning your life into one you enjoy. Anything is better then just sitting around being miserable.

[tebisto]

Steve's articles present views/perspectives or anything very easily.

Reading them gets me filled with a lot of courage and zeal. However, it is not as easy when it comes to implementation, especially moving from where I am to where I want to be. The negative thinking (complaining, giving up even before attempting...) approach I've been using still gets the better of me - though I'm fighting it very fiercely.
Another great article Steve!

[Vermilion Sparrow]

Originally Posted by Dimond

Vermilion (and anyone else struggling), it makes no sense to spend years wanting to make a change and doing nothing. Just do something, anything even small to get yourself away from your current situation. It can be take a class or workshop, it could be join a group, take up a new hobby, anything you can possibly do so you aren't just unhappily thinking about doing something for years. Minor action leads to all kinds of things. It's not necessary to know anything for sure when you make these small choices. Whatever you have a slight interest in, explore until you find something you love. Then eventually you take more action and hopefully you will end up turning your life into one you enjoy. Anything is better then just sitting around being miserable.

I've taken up several new hobbies over the course of this time, and either I get tired of them after a few weeks, or I don't have time to finish projects I start (which suggests I'm not that interested anyway), or (like knitting and tennis) they cause me to aggravate old injuries and I have to stop before I cause permanent damage. So far, minor action has only led to further frustration and dissatisfaction. I'm running out of hobbies that don't have enormous startup costs, and of course I haven't yet found anything I'm interested in that I could ever get someone to pay me a living wage for.

That said, I'm not horribly unsatisfied with my job. What I actually do, I do enjoy for the most part. It's the having to get up and be somewhere at a certain time, and having to drop what I'm doing and answer the phone when it rings, that aggravates me most. I'm a hardcore introvert, and having to deal with other humans for 8 hours a day drains my batteries something fierce, but I haven't yet found a way to keep myself alive that doesn't involve dealing with people all day long every day. I don't mind if they're there, but I really wish they'd leave me alone and let me work.

I guess what I mean is, the cubicle isn't so horrible for me, it's those people who insist on invading mine that I have a problem with.

[BitterFlower]

Just some off-hand consulting from what you said...

Originally Posted by Vermilion Sparrow

I'm running out of hobbies that don't have enormous startup costs, and of course I haven't yet found anything I'm interested in that I could ever get someone to pay me a living wage for.

Sometimes you have to do what you love and turn it on its head to make some money. I love sewing, knitting, cross-stitching, and making candles. I probably can't "make money" doing these crafts (save the candles, minus the high insurance costs). However, I am knowledgeable enough about the first 3 to make patterns if I felt like it, or I could sell candle-making supplies.

Originally Posted by Vermilion Sparrow

That said, I'm not horribly unsatisfied with my job. What I actually do, I do enjoy for the most part. It's the having to get up and be somewhere at a certain time, and having to drop what I'm doing and answer the phone when it rings, that aggravates me most.

I understand this also. I love accounting, but I hate the rat race of Corporate America. When I used to work for the state, I loved the flexibility. You started out with a choice of a flexible schedule, plus after a year, you could apply to be a virtual worker. I only left because I had to leave the state for family issues plus the wages didn't match the cost of living. Now that I'm leveraged in my side business, it wouldn't be much to return to work for the state after my daughter gets school aged.

So, maybe you just need a change of venue, whether it's move to another department or finding a similar job at a different place.


IA with James about schooling. I had the most fun in college. High school was socially awkward, but I still learned valuable things. YOU have to make high school fun. I was in so many activities year-round and took most of the advanced classes (some even at the local community college). Plus, I attended a high school for the arts, so I had at least one artistic class per day. Plus, being a little smart butt, I engaged my teachers, well, at least the ones I weren't afraid of Y'all know you had that one scary old teacher nearing retirement that compelled complete silence in his/her class.

[MidasGirl]

Originally Posted by James81

Please don't do this.

Yes, it's possible to be successful in this world without an education (a very SMALL percentage of people have done it), but you are purposely stacking the odds against you by doing so.

I mean, not going to college is one thing, but to quit high school is something else. Most of the people I know who quit high school is working some crappy job making a crappy wage.

I don't think this article is geared towards people in school at all. And I would think that Steve would say such, since he has a college education himself.

Good on you James for being the voice of reality around here. I can understand quitting school to do something that you are really passionate about that you feel can't wait. But to quit just because you think education is irrelevant? You'll be up for a few raw shocks later in life. Do you think Steve would be able to construct such superior articles if he quit school at 8th grade?

I remember I did not want to go to college and thought it was a rather wasteful exercise. My family had an intervention and I agreed to go. I'm so grateful they did that.

Funny that all of the successful people I've heard who quit high school or college eventually went back to complete their thing. By all means follow your passion, but also realize that one way or the other, you will have to pay your dues.

[Aleksander Krstic]

Originally Posted by MidasGirl

Good on you James for being the voice of reality around here. I can understand quitting school to do something that you are really passionate about that you feel can't wait. But to quit just because you think education is irrelevant? You'll be up for a few raw shocks later in life. Do you think Steve would be able to construct such superior articles if he quit school at 8th grade?

I remember I did not want to go to college and thought it was a rather wasteful exercise. My family had an intervention and I agreed to go. I'm so grateful they did that.

Funny that all of the successful people I've heard who quit high school or college eventually went back to complete their thing. By all means follow your passion, but also realize that one way or the other, you will have to pay your dues.

I think persistence is superior to education.

[MidasGirl]

Originally Posted by Aleksander Krstic

I think persistence is superior to education.

And a combination of both is ridiculously superior.. Why does it have to be one or the other?

[Daffy Duck]

Originally Posted by Aleksander Krstic

I think persistence is superior to education.

Graduating college in three semesters like Steve did is my idea of grand persistence.

Quitting high school and getting a full time job (as Beuford said) is not persistence, in my view. It is, in fact, the very opposite of how I would define persistence. It's like giving up one unwanted master for another. If you're going to quit school, do it to do something BIG! Not to get a minimum wage job, which is usually the best you can hope for with no high school diploma.

Traditional schooling can be a lot of fun when approached with a fun attitude. I've proven this to myself and I think it can work for anyone.

[aelle]

Originally Posted by MidasGirl

And a combination of both is ridiculously superior.. Why does it have to be one or the other?

If one passively suffers through the school system without a desire to be there and learn, they may get a diploma, but not an education.

[James81]

Originally Posted by aelle

If one passively suffers through the school system without a desire to be there and learn, they may get a diploma, but not an education.

And the point is, the diploma is more important than the education. (ok, now don't take me wrong here, because *I* know that education is more important...but I'm saying that to society as a whole, that diploma says more about you than anything else will say)

And the even bigger point is...DON'T PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET.

It's a beautiful and wonderful thought to think that you are the one in a million who breaks all the rules, casts of the bonds of society, and proves everybody wrong.

But it's more realistic to realize that that wonderfully childish dream of making it big without an education is just that...childish and foolish. Holding a diploma (plus a college degree) in your hand is like holding an insurance policy against failure. Trust me, you won't (or can't) understand what I'm saying until you have one.

No, it doesn't garauntee you success. No, it doesn't prove that you are educated. But it DOES provide a nice cushion from failure. Last ditch effort? You fall back on your degree and use it to get by during lean times.

For that reason alone, it's worth both the time and the money you spend.

[markmark]

Beuford -

fwiw I have a masters degree, and the only insurance I've ever seen has been following a dream. All things change, not least of all the stakes we think we're playing for. Humans are simple creatures and very bad at predictive reasoning. Primitive hunter-gatherer societies studied in the amazon have been shown to have virtually no concept of the future outside of natural cycles. The idea of the future is something new for us, and not something we are particularly good at forecasting. The only built in failsafe, or natural compass, that we are given is that of dreams. This is because a true dream is rooted in the present, just as true hope is rooted in the present, as both depend on action. The only thing we find in the future is fear.

I respect the James81's advice and believe he has real reasons for offering it, and he may be right in many cases, but my experience, being that of an artist, has been different.

I can say with confidence, that in the case of the arts, or any creative endeavor, there is a very strong reason you should put all your eggs in one basket.

Your mind will always see a "backup" plan as a primary plan, as it has been designed in a state of fear. In this plan, you have authorized your fear to dominate your decision making, and established that only way to avoid this fear is to follow this plan. Your unconscious will make it your primary plan, because your mind's primary motivation will be to avoid this fear - a fear which will be all powerful as long as your "backup" plan exists. You will not realize this is happening, as you will have bought into this logic, and you will trick yourself into thinking that you are "realistically" following a dream. In fact you will not be. You will simply be generating experiences interpretable as support for your chosen plan - the "backup" plan. You will unconsciously compromise and hamstring your attempts towards a dream in order to manifest the evidence needed to prove you made the right choice in planning "realistically." A "backup" plan is a refusal to accept consequences. It is designed by your mind to perpetuate and establish the illusion of control, which is not the same as intention. It is a prayer to fear.

As we all know but don't do enough, the best way to live is to move towards fear. It makes everything much easier, and much more fun.

If you have a dream, you should follow it at all costs, or do your best to forget about it as soon as possible. Any attempt towards a middle road rarely ends in anything but regret or disapointment. There is no "safe risk." But there is tremendous joy in truly recognizing risk, and moving forward in spite of it. You realize in time that, in many ways, the dream itself, and whether it is realized or not, is not really that important. The reward is in pursuing it, even as it changes as you grow older.

You should stay in school until you identify your dream. This means realizing whats the thing you love to do more than anything and would do for free and work and slave at for the pure joy no matter what else was going on, and no matter what your current occupation might be. When you know what this is, and its usually pretty easy to figure out, just remove everything from your life that is not that. Heaven! Fears are banished and issues of security become completely irrelevant. If school is helping you towards this goal, embrace school. If its holding you back, leave it for the place you need to be. At a certain point you will need to choose between your deepest dreams and the wishes of your parents. Sometimes this is all within your own mind, usually this is a very real conflict. But you will need to establish your autonomy. In the long run you will both be happier that you did. Your parents will accept that you are not them, and at that point begin loving you for who you actually are. It is up to us as children to make this break, at the point that we decide we are ready. Its the point at which a child becomes an adult. Some people never do this. Generally, the people who do are happier.

I think its worth noting the story of Musashi, author of "A Book of Five Rings." According to historical record, when Musashi was just 13, he accepted a posted challenge in the town square to fight a duel with a travelling samurai. His uncle begged the samurai to reconsider, saying he was just a boy, and couldn't possibly know what he was doing. Musashi ignored his uncle and came to the square. He won the duel, killing the samurai. He then embarked on the travelling path of the Ronin and became arguably the greatest samurai who ever lived, winning 50 duels, and even going so far as to begin using wooden swords in place of real swords, so confident was he in his ability.

Once he retired, he opted to live the life of the aesthetic, as a beggar in a cave, devoted completely to applying what he'd learned from the way of strategy to the arts of painting, song, calligraphy, poetry, and tea. His paintings are now worth more in japan than any other artist.

He had earned the right to absolute security through his fame. He could have lived the rest of his life as a wealthy noble or head of a school. Instead, he chose absolute privation.

If you choose to take the most radical risks you can imagine and everything goes "wrong", you will still probably be far above the fate of living as a beggar in a cave.

Musashi took the most radical risks he could imagine, where each of the 50 duels he fought were fatal gambles, and won. And he chose the cave.

I heard someone say that a mystic is someone who laughs at life for the game it really is. We all have moments when we see that, and those are great times.

[James81]

Originally Posted by markmark

Beuford -

fwiw I have a masters degree, and the only insurance I've ever seen has been following a dream. All things change, not least of all the stakes we think we're playing for. Humans are simple creatures and very bad at predictive reasoning. Primitive hunter-gatherer societies studied in the amazon have been shown to have virtually no concept of the future outside of natural cycles. The idea of the future is something new for us, and not something we are particularly good at forecasting. The only built in failsafe, or natural compass, that we are given is that of dreams. This is because a true dream is rooted in the present, just as true hope is rooted in the present, as both depend on action. The only thing we find in the future is fear.

I respect the James81's advice and believe he has real reasons for offering it, and he may be right in many cases, but my experience, being that of an artist, has been different.

I can say with confidence, that in the case of the arts, or any creative endeavor, there is a very strong reason you should put all your eggs in one basket.

Your mind will always see a "backup" plan as a primary plan, as it has been designed in a state of fear. In this plan, you have authorized your fear to dominate your decision making, and established that only way to avoid this fear is to follow this plan. Your unconscious will make it your primary plan, because your mind's primary motivation will be to avoid this fear - a fear which will be all powerful as long as your "backup" plan exists. You will not realize this is happening, as you will have bought into this logic, and you will trick yourself into thinking that you are "realistically" following a dream. In fact you will not be. You will simply be generating experiences interpretable as support for your chosen plan - the "backup" plan. You will unconsciously compromise and hamstring your attempts towards a dream in order to manifest the evidence needed to prove you made the right choice in planning "realistically." A "backup" plan is a refusal to accept consequences. It is designed by your mind to perpetuate and establish the illusion of control, which is not the same as intention. It is a prayer to fear.

As we all know but don't do enough, the best way to live is to move towards fear. It makes everything much easier, and much more fun.

If you have a dream, you should follow it at all costs, or do your best to forget about it as soon as possible. Any attempt towards a middle road rarely ends in anything but regret or disapointment. There is no "safe risk." But there is tremendous joy in truly recognizing risk, and moving forward in spite of it. You realize in time that, in many ways, the dream itself, and whether it is realized or not, is not really that important. The reward is in pursuing it, even as it changes as you grow older.

You should stay in school until you identify your dream. This means realizing whats the thing you love to do more than anything and would do for free and work and slave at for the pure joy no matter what else was going on, and no matter what your current occupation might be. When you know what this is, and its usually pretty easy to figure out, just remove everything from your life that is not that. Heaven! Fears are banished and issues of security become completely irrelevant. If school is helping you towards this goal, embrace school. If its holding you back, leave it for the place you need to be. At a certain point you will need to choose between your deepest dreams and the wishes of your parents. Sometimes this is all within your own mind, usually this is a very real conflict. But you will need to establish your autonomy. In the long run you will both be happier that you did. Your parents will accept that you are not them, and at that point begin loving you for who you actually are. It is up to us as children to make this break, at the point that we decide we are ready. Its the point at which a child becomes an adult. Some people never do this. Generally, the people who do are happier.

I think its worth noting the story of Musashi, author of "A Book of Five Rings." According to historical record, when Musashi was just 13, he accepted a posted challenge in the town square to fight a duel with a travelling samurai. His uncle begged the samurai to reconsider, saying he was just a boy, and couldn't possibly know what he was doing. Musashi ignored his uncle and came to the square. He won the duel, killing the samurai. He then embarked on the travelling path of the Ronin and became arguably the greatest samurai who ever lived, winning 50 duels, and even going so far as to begin using wooden swords in place of real swords, so confident was he in his ability.

Once he retired, he opted to live the life of the aesthetic, as a beggar in a cave, devoted completely to applying what he'd learned from the way of strategy to the arts of painting, song, calligraphy, poetry, and tea. His paintings are now worth more in japan than any other artist.

He had earned the right to absolute security through his fame. He could have lived the rest of his life as a wealthy noble or head of a school. Instead, he chose absolute privation.

If you choose to take the most radical risks you can imagine and everything goes "wrong", you will still probably be far above the fate of living as a beggar in a cave.

Musashi took the most radical risks he could imagine, where each of the 50 duels he fought were fatal gambles, and won. And he chose the cave.

I heard someone say that a mystic is someone who laughs at life for the game it really is. We all have moments when we see that, and those are great times.

You have a master's degree. It's easy for you to sit back and tell others to not do the same because you HAVE that security.

[MidasGirl]

Originally Posted by markmark

Beuford -

fwiw I have a masters degree, and the only insurance I've ever seen has been following a dream. .

In all fairness, all masters degrees are not created equal

[MidasGirl]

Originally Posted by aelle

If one passively suffers through the school system without a desire to be there and learn, they may get a diploma, but not an education.

There is truth in that. However, why not address the cause of the suffering instead of throwing out the baby with the bath water. It takes great discipline to bust through the barriers and make education and school fun. One will need that same kind of discipline and persistence in doing other things in life. And Yes, even things one loves still take discipline and focus and persistence. Steve once talked of spending 16 hours (or something like that) perfecting one article. 16 hours!!! No wonder not everyone has a super successful blog.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by markmark

You should stay in school until you identify your dream. This means realizing whats the thing you love to do more than anything and would do for free and work and slave at for the pure joy no matter what else was going on, and no matter what your current occupation might be. When you know what this is, and its usually pretty easy to figure out,

What you love to do can change.

What you love at age 10 may not be what you love to do at age 18.

What you love to do at age 18 may not be what you love to do at age 25, or 35 or 45 or 70.

Also, the thing you love to do may stop being the thing you love to do, right around the time you turn it into a full-time job.

Simple example - maybe you love to sing and play the guitar; maybe you're pretty good at it; maybe you really enjoy yourself playing once a fortnight with a small band in a pub.

But when you turn it into a career, and you have to perform six times a week, and make enough money from it to survive, and be on the road constantly, etc etc, that's when you might start hating it.

[Acting Like Godot]

Is there no one who finds school enjoyable any more?

Enjoyable, fun, interesting, educational, useful, challenging, enriching ...?

[Speedbump]

This was exactly what I needed, at the exact right time. Thanks!!

[markmark]

There are certain dreams that choose a person. This is often how it is in the arts. My previous post was directed towards those who have experienced this, and perhaps I should have qualified it better as such. Whether Beuford is one of these people (at this point in life, given that it can be realized at any time), only he or she can know. However, an early sign that a person has been chosen for a particular purpose is a radical questioning of their surroundings and the status quo. This is because they intuitively feel an incongruity between where they are and where they are meant to be. Leaving high school is a serious decision that should never be taken lightly. Following a dream should not either, however.

The wisdom of the collective unconscious is apparent in the phrase 'following one's dream.' You cannot lead a dream, and you cannot control a dream. It is something you can only surrender too, oftentimes against your and others better judgement. It is a test offered by the dream itself.

In my experience, following a dream is the most difficult, punishing, rewarding and personal work I have found. It is a blessing and a monumental challenge. For some this is the rigors of pursuing a doctoral degree on their way to becoming a professor. For others it is honoring the joy that is to be had in manual labor. Both are equally valid when they are pursued with honest passion, and a desire to realize one's full potential by contributing to the community in the best way one can.

I am a professional musician and have been for many years. Through all the difficult and challenging times, what kept me warm at night was the knowledge that I was being honest to a dream. Even, as Godot pointed out, that dream may have changed forms along the way.

I have actually had the very experience that Godot describes. I was a DJ for many years, and what was once an impossibly exciting dream did indeed become unsatisfying and routine. But I knew it was part of the path that music had led me on, and respected it as part of a larger whole. I found the natural transition to a new place while still staying true to my dream, even when my understanding of it became tenuous and I acted only with faith. However, once I completely surrendered control to something greater than myself, doors opened that I never could have imagined. A dream is not static, its a path, and one that often changes radically. The order often is only apparent when looking back.

Some of most satisfying life experiences I've had were during my early years working the night shift as a security guard. I would be seated on a golf course under the stars until the morning came, composing and singing into a tape recorder. I lived very humbly and with very little comforts, and I couldn't have been happier. No matter what tribulations I was faced with I knew I was on the right path, and that brought me a joy and peace that was priceless. I have a very good friend who has been a security guard now for 15 years and is one of the happiest people I know. He is also one of the most productive, talented and dedicated musicians I know. He also has a bachelors degree from a respected liberal arts college.

We all have an internal compass. School can help us find this compass, while it can also inhibit its discovery and/or development. It is completely subjective.

School should exist to serve and foster dreams. However, there sometimes does come a time when it begins to dictate rather than empower. Recognizing this, and becoming aware of the different roles school can play in one's life, is a natural part of growing into an autonomous adult.

Nothing is guaranteed. Its all probabilities, and its all a gamble. We all have to choose for ourselves how much risk we can accept.

[James81]

Originally Posted by markmark

There are certain dreams that choose a person. This is often how it is in the arts. My previous post was directed towards those who have experienced this, and perhaps I should have qualified it better as such. Whether Beuford is one of these people (at this point in life, given that it can be realized at any time), only he or she can know. However, an early sign that a person has been chosen for a particular purpose is a radical questioning of their surroundings and the status quo. This is because they intuitively feel an incongruity between where they are and where they are meant to be. Leaving high school is a serious decision that should never be taken lightly. Following a dream should not either, however.

The wisdom of the collective unconscious is apparent in the phrase 'following one's dream.' You cannot lead a dream, and you cannot control a dream. It is something you can only surrender too, oftentimes against your and others better judgement. It is a test offered by the dream itself.

In my experience, following a dream is the most difficult, punishing, rewarding and personal work I have found. It is a blessing and a monumental challenge. For some this is the rigors of pursuing a doctoral degree on their way to becoming a professor. For others it is honoring the joy that is to be had in manual labor. Both are equally valid when they are pursued with honest passion, and a desire to realize one's full potential by contributing to the community in the best way one can.

I am a professional musician and have been for many years. Through all the difficult and challenging times, what kept me warm at night was the knowledge that I was being honest to a dream. Even, as Godot pointed out, that dream may have changed forms along the way.

I have actually had the very experience that Godot describes. I was a DJ for many years, and what was once an impossibly exciting dream did indeed become unsatisfying and routine. But I knew it was part of the path that music had led me on, and respected it as part of a larger whole. I found the natural transition to a new place while still staying true to my dream, even when my understanding of it became tenuous and I acted only with faith. However, once I completely surrendered control to something greater than myself, doors opened that I never could have imagined. A dream is not static, its a path, and one that often changes radically. The order often is only apparent when looking back.

Some of most satisfying life experiences I've had were during my early years working the night shift as a security guard. I would be seated on a golf course under the stars until the morning came, composing and singing into a tape recorder. I lived very humbly and with very little comforts, and I couldn't have been happier. No matter what tribulations I was faced with I knew I was on the right path, and that brought me a joy and peace that was priceless. I have a very good friend who has been a security guard now for 15 years and is one of the happiest people I know. He is also one of the most productive, talented and dedicated musicians I know. He also has a bachelors degree from a respected liberal arts college.

We all have an internal compass. School can help us find this compass, while it can also inhibit its discovery and/or development. It is completely subjective.

School should exist to serve and foster dreams. However, there sometimes does come a time when it begins to dictate rather than empower. Recognizing this, and becoming aware of the different roles school can play in one's life, is a natural part of growing into an autonomous adult.

Nothing is guaranteed. Its all probabilities, and its all a gamble. We all have to choose for ourselves how much risk we can accept.

Again, you can say all that because you HAVE a Master's degree.

I'm not saying that what you are saying isn't true, I'm just saying that it's really easy to tell other people not to worry about the security of a degree when you HAVE one yourself. Sure, you may view it as a waste of time and you may not even USE it...but you HAVE it.

[MidasGirl]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

Is there no one who finds school enjoyable any more?

Enjoyable, fun, interesting, educational, useful, challenging, enriching ...?

I think the ones who do are busy studying, not posting in forums

[Chris_1977]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

Is there no one who finds school enjoyable any more?

Enjoyable, fun, interesting, educational, useful, challenging, enriching ...?

One would guess that the ones who think that don't come here complaining about it. However, I admit that when I was in school I thought of several of the postivie adjectives that you mention as applicable to my school experience. There is a danger in that, though. It provided me with the illusion that just doing your best in school would more or less automatically lead to doing interesting work later. That turned out to be not necessarily the case...