[gvsulakerfan]

Wow, great feedback from all. Thanks for your insight and opinions.

A little background: I am a GIS Analyst (Geographic Information Systems), in other words, I make maps and analyze data. It is my only job since graduating college.

Why am I bored? Its repetitive and often times I feel no satisfaction for the work I am doing. I like doing things where I can see an end result that has a measurable purpose. Obviously, when I make a map there is an end result and it serves a purpose, but really, in the end, it doesn't feel like there is any "greater good" that is coming out of the work.

As far as the financial advice, thank you. My wife and I have been following Dave Ramsey's financial advice for several years now and have been very successful with that: no credit card debt, no car debt, and only the last student loan and house to go Eventually we'll be able to yell WE'RE DEBT FREE!

Again, thanks for the advice and personal stories. I'm sure I won't be making any crazy decisions anytime soon. And, like you all have said, there aren't a lot of good jobs around right now...

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by gvsulakerfan

Wow, great feedback from all. Thanks for your insight and opinions.

A little background: I am a GIS Analyst (Geographic Information Systems), in other words, I make maps and analyze data. It is my only job since graduating college.

Why am I bored? Its repetitive and often times I feel no satisfaction for the work I am doing. I like doing things where I can see an end result that has a measurable purpose. Obviously, when I make a map there is an end result and it serves a purpose, but really, in the end, it doesn't feel like there is any "greater good" that is coming out of the work.

As far as the financial advice, thank you. My wife and I have been following Dave Ramsey's financial advice for several years now and have been very successful with that: no credit card debt, no car debt, and only the last student loan and house to go Eventually we'll be able to yell WE'RE DEBT FREE!

Again, thanks for the advice and personal stories. I'm sure I won't be making any crazy decisions anytime soon. And, like you all have said, there aren't a lot of good jobs around right now...

Wow. I am impressed. Doesn't look like you need any advice, but that is always the way, people who are going in the right direction are always checking their course.

Bet your folks are proud of you!

[Boomer]

Originally Posted by gvsulakerfan

Wow, great feedback from all. Thanks for your insight and opinions.

A little background: I am a GIS Analyst (Geographic Information Systems), in other words, I make maps and analyze data. It is my only job since graduating college.

Why am I bored? Its repetitive and often times I feel no satisfaction for the work I am doing. I like doing things where I can see an end result that has a measurable purpose. Obviously, when I make a map there is an end result and it serves a purpose, but really, in the end, it doesn't feel like there is any "greater good" that is coming out of the work. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hi kid,

Now that I see what your present career is, I would like to throw something a little more specific out there. Now, please keep in mind that my advice is worth exactly what you are paying for it, and besides, I could even be an English major for all you know.

But I do so love a little brainstorming session so here's my contribution....

You have an in-depth knowledge of geography along with extensive knowledge of technology and you have said here that you want to do something for the greater good.

Have you thought about creating a program that would make knowledge of geography accessible and fun? My grandchildren learned a lot about states and countries when they were very young. They learned the stuff from placemats I gave them. Their database was right there under the cereal bowl every morning. And I know that still works. But, even so, I also know that lots of kids know very little about geography and the game now is technology driven.

This idea I am throwing out there to you has already been tried I am sure. But hey, maybe you could do it better. And it is something you could work on in your spare time, tapping into your creative thinking, while keeping your day job.

(Or maybe you could create something that would help adults with geography questions when they are playing trivia. Like me.)

Geography -- Does anybody remember that mnemonic device kids used to spell that word? -- "George eats old gray rats and paints houses yellow." -- Might be a good name for the game or a book.

Anyway, I am going on and on here this morning again, and I really need to get on with my real life.

Good luck to you, and meanwhile, there's always continental drift to break the monotony.

Boomer

[Freeda]

I would add that I think I chose the law profession without much thought. I think many people do that. Careers should ideally be chosen after careful reflection of one's goals and life priorities/lifestyle that one wants. Reading Napoleon Hill's book Think and Grow Rich would be a great way to start in pondering a career/business; and I think that all high school students should read this book.

I had no mentor to lead me in this direction of thinking, as neither of my parents had gone to college or considered career choices; my mother did not work other than briefly, and my father, although he was successful in his work life, had just taken the first job that was available to him after coming home from WWII; I don't think he was ever particularly happy with his work.

So, after high school I immediately went to college and studied music education, as sort of a kneejerk decision because music had been my main interest through childhood and high school, so being a music major was just an automatic decision of continuing the same life with which I was already familiar. It wasn't until after I graduated from college that reality set it, and it occurred to me that making a good living with my degree was going to be a challenge. Loving music shouldn't have just 'automatically' lead me to sign up to be a music major; but nothing had pointed that out to me before I chose my college major.

I had dated a guy while in college who was in law school, so really just from that one influence, I decided, "great, I'll just go to law school, too", because I realized, after finishing college, that I wanted to be sure that I could be financially self-sufficient, and, once again, as sort of a 'kneejerk' decision, I just chose law because I had been exposed to that career choice through my having dated someone; it was the only thing I had had any 'glimpse' of. I never pondered the 'big picture' of what I wanted my life to be like, and how a law practice would tie in with the family and personal lifestyle that I wanted. If I had, I probably would have looked further and chosen a more entrepreneurial path.

I think that what happened to me happens to many of us; we get started on a career path, start working, develop house payments, car payments etc based on that income stream; and then we get so caught up in it all that we never stop to reflect on whether we should, or can, change our life; and so we overlook options that exist, because we are not aware of them; are skeptical or fearful of change; or don't take the time to actually study them. Many times we are (I know I definitely was) "too busy chopping wood to stop and sharpen the ax"; too busy and stressed to look up from our work and our lifestyle to consider the big picture, and whether we have enough contentment and happiness in how we are living our life.

My point is, don't just automatically continue what you are doing simply because it is what you have always done. You can change your life, if you decide that you should. Only you can decide that; maybe you will decide that your life is fine as it is.

The idea that there is security in having a job is, at least sometimes, a myth, as many unemployed people who have been blindsided would attest to. What you build for yourself is the only thing that no one can take away from you. Counting on living out your retirement life on savings, pensions, or Social Security is also a precarious position, as many are finding.

[2BNTV]

You have received excellent advice.

While I was unemployed many years ago, unemployment offered a course in "career transition". the instructor owned a computer company, (was very successful), and sold it because he was very unhappy. He decided to go into teaching.

The instructor always came back to one question, "WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO"?

A very simple question and one that I had a great amount of difficulty answering.

Best wishes for future happiness.