Jasper
|
| posted on 4/3/10 at 12:38 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by jeffw
At 49 and being relatively successful (everything is relative) with wife, 11 year son, 5 bed house, large amounts of debt (!) & a income in well
in excess of the national average (but nowhere near my mate Paul who makes million £ bonuses). I work in IT as a security consultant and run my own
company.
The things I try and live by are...
The isn't a dress rehearsal, this is your only shot at life, use it wisely and don't put up with things or situations/jobs just to make up
the numbers.
Be true to yourself, always do the 'right' thing regardless of the consequences.
The memory of experiences lasts longer than physically possessions. The pursuit of money is fine as long as you are doing it for a reason, money for
monies sake is pointless.
Education is fine but is only worth anything until you replace it with experience.
Enjoy it 
[Edited on 4/3/10 by jeffw]
This is exactly how I feel. For me it's a balance between work/family/fun. I spent my twenties going from job to job with no direction, crap
relationships, no money and a poor relationship with my family.
Now I think it's the quality of my relationships with the people around me that really counts, whether it be family, wife, friends or people I
work with.
Now I have a job I really enjoy that allows me plenty of time to enjoy the rest of my life.
Travel if you can, goes as far as you can and meet as many different people as you can, the time will come very soon when family and work commitments
means the longest you'll probably get away is for a 2-3 week holiday.
Uni is fine, BUT you can come out the end after 3 years and be no better off in the job market than when you went in - which is what I did. Great fun
though.
Find something you can loose yourself in every now and again, for me it's dancing in clubs (and I'm 42) but as long as it brings you right
into the moment and you stop thinking about everything that has happened or might happen then that'll do.
If you don't have a career you are set on already don't worry about it, I always envied people who always wanted to be a particular thing
like a doctor or lawyer and had sorted it by their twenties, but most of us aren't like that, and to be honest I like the fact I've done
loads of different things.
Get on the property ladder as soon as possible though, I left this WAY too late, it's my only real regret.
Don't work for your retirement, they are plenty out there who grafted all their lives looking forward to retirement day, then drop down dead a
few weeks into it.
And most importantly - HAVE AS MUCH FUN AS POSSIBLE 
If you're not living life on the edge you're taking up too much room.
|
|
|
|
|
trikerneil
|
| posted on 4/3/10 at 12:58 PM |
|
|
I'm 52 and still don't know what I want to do when I grow up.
I've been married and divorced, had money and lost it, (the two were connected)
I am just changing jobs to get the work/life balance right as I've decided that is more important to me than money.
Main thing is to be happy.
Neil
ACE Cafe - Just say No.
|
|
|
coozer
|
| posted on 4/3/10 at 01:15 PM |
|
|
Well there is a film called "The Meaning of Life"
Watch that and I'm sure it will cheer you up.
My favoured carreer path when I was 15 was the same as everyone else round here, an apprentiship and lifetime down the pit just like me dad, grandad
and greatgrandad before.
But, then Thatcher, hell bent on revenge put paid to that, destroying our community, taking work away from the area, its still going on today with
Brown and I'm sure Cameroon will keep it up.
So, I didn't get any nice qualifications or a full apprentiship (just the first half) and have dabbled a bit with driving, first buses, now
trucks, bit of automtive engineering in the middle.
Problem is now there is no such thing as a "career" you can train for a good job and end up moving from pillar to post chasing
satisfaction, money, stability etc.
There are some 'fairly' safe bets, all government run, ie public money and I suggest you may be well off staying working for the school,
developing your IT skills, and using the lenghty holidays for your projects.
Watch the film first, you may be well impressed.
I'm at the same career desicion fork in the road now, as I was 30 years ago. Just now I can't be bothered to go to college, or train or
anything so its truck driving for now.
Just to put this into prespective, my brother is very clever. he went to grammer school, has loads of A levels and did an apprentiship with the
council. Once he'd built his pension fund up he left and went to uni. 8 years studying he now has DR. in front of and some other letters behind
his name. However, he cant use a hammer, screwdriver or spanners.
He works part time as a school lab assistant.
Steve
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
|
|
|
Irony
|
| posted on 4/3/10 at 01:33 PM |
|
|
If I was you I would just go travelling mate. Save up enough money to get a one way ticket to OZ or NZ and travel. Bungee, skydive, white water raft
etc. When you skint, do some work, then go travelling again. When your visa runs out or your bored, get another ticket to another country and do the
same. Nz, OZ Fiji, Cook islands, Thailand, Mayalasia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bali, China, Japan, South Korea. There all on the backpackers trail. When
your fed up of the sun, fly to a ski resort, work a ski season being a Chalet man and learn to ski like a genius. Meet as many people as you can, and
meet as many girls as you can.
I only did this in a small way but it changed my life. A friend of mine did it hugely and ended up riding from Lincoln(UK) to queenstown in NZ on a
600cc yamaha. He stopped travelling after six years on the road. He did six ski seasons and can ski like the wind blows.
The world is open to you. Go out and see it. Don't be put off by the limitations and closed minded attitudes of other people. The most
difficult thing about travelling alone is booking the first ticket.
Given enough hard work anybody can achieve almost anything.
|
|
|
bi22le
|
| posted on 4/3/10 at 02:07 PM |
|
|
Wow its taken about 3/4 of an hour to read these posts. Very inspiring.
My thoughts:
Life is long, so dont rush it. People re train and learn all of the time. Just plan slightly for the future but mainly enjoy the moment.
Be happy with what you have got. Dont be envious if you can help it, its insulting to the people that have less than you.
You have alot in your hand. Your young, intelligent and have the luxury of school holidays so be greatful.
my school of thought is to be routed and stable. I can enjoy whims and risks more then. I never wanted to go travelling. I always thought that I have
21 days a year to go travelling and see the world. That over 30 years of working is better than any 6 month travelling stint because you value the
location and times your having.
Get a hobby and enjoy it. I have always wanted cars and wanted to build one. I am getting one very soon which I feel I have worked my whole life for
(im only 27!) but I still have to wait before I can build one. It will come to me, I know it will!
Enjoy friends and family, they can always put a smile on your face.
Good luck and keep in touch
Track days ARE the best thing since sliced bread, until I get a supercharger that is!
Please read my ring story:
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/13/viewthread.php?tid=139152&page=1
Me doing a sub 56sec lap around Brands Indy. I need a geo set up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHksfvIGB3I
|
|
|
55ant
|
| posted on 4/3/10 at 02:25 PM |
|
|
Man is the only animal for whom his own existence is a problem which he has to solve and from which he cannot escape,
Fromm,
|
|
|
Richard Quinn
|
| posted on 4/3/10 at 04:34 PM |
|
|
At 43, most of my career progression has just sort of happened without much of a game plan. I have a decent enough job and a comfortable salary but
some days I get up, go to work, go home go to bed etc and other days I have an absolute blast.
It's just one big seesaw really.
|
|
|
Badger_McLetcher
|
| posted on 6/3/10 at 02:00 AM |
|
|
My thoughts, having just endured a (very) messy breakup (betrayals a bitch aint it?)
1: Mates. If you've got good ones, keep them at all costs. Otherwise let em slide, they weren't mates to begin with.
2: Relationships. Don't bet on it, enjoy 'em while they last. As Pirates of the Carribean says "take what you can, give nothing
back" (warning this may be warped by afore mentioned breakup)
3: Jobs - as long as you enjoy it, it doesn't matter if you're splitting the atom or shovelling sh... err... poo!
4: Education - Some of my heros (Bert Munro for example) had little in the way of formal education but still achieved good results. It helps but is
not necessarilly essential!
Nothing lasts for ever. This is a truism and brings both great hope and despair. It means the greatest of relationships will eventually end, but so
will the most unjust of dictatorships.
To end coming back to the point, have fun, live in the moment and try to keep a core of trustworthy folk around you. With that you can deal with most
things life throws at ya, even if it hurts.
If disfunction is a function, then I must be some kind of genius.
|
|
|
zilspeed
|
| posted on 6/3/10 at 02:23 PM |
|
|
Haven't read much of the other repsonses.
Here are my thoughts.
1) 42 - obviously.
2) Be thankfull for what you have.
3) Don't fret over what you don't have - it won't magically enhance your life.
4) Learn to be satisfied with a bit less. More isn't better.
5) Help others as much as you can.
6) Appreciate family and friends.
7)The only reality is the one happening right now.
8) If you can, take your time on the road. If you can do this whilst everyone else that want to can go past, the roads magically become quiet.
They're all magically driving away from you.
9) Listen to good music.
My Mother died at 62 years of age, 6 months later mt Father died at 67 years of age.
I think I would have been 34 when that happened - I'm not good with dates.
It taught me that your time on this rock is precious, so get f**ing on with it and do whatever makes you happy and doesn't affect others
negatively.
If you can do your thing and know that your presence has had a positive effect on the life of others, you're more likely to sleep better at
night. Sleeping well at night is a good thing.
That's about my take on it.
[Edited on 6/3/10 by zilspeed]
|
|
|
Jasper
|
| posted on 6/3/10 at 03:04 PM |
|
|
Somebody should write a book on all these responses ..... very good reading.
If you're not living life on the edge you're taking up too much room.
|
|
|
Ninehigh
|
| posted on 7/3/10 at 09:21 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Yes... this is a car forum, but we have some very clever people here from all walks of life...
Can someone help me!!?!??
Im nearly 22... did A-Levels and then started working, have worked for Rolls Royce, managed a catering companies stores and now work in a school
writing web applications and training staff/students...The pay is reasonable.. the job keeps me amused, but Im not sure if thats what I want to do for
the rest of my life
But im stuck and confused... what is the point..... You go to work, come home, eat, sleep... and then repeat.... I get 21 days a year to see the
world... but dont get paid enough to go far...
I am the kind of person who can never stop... I always have to have a few projects on the go to give me some focus... when the focus goes, I start to
loose the plot a bit..
I look at my parents who have both had very succesfull careers, nice house, nice cars etc... but it just seems pointless... you cant take it with you
when you die...
I have so many interests I cant just focus on one as a career.... It would drive me nuts...
I have applied to uni this year, but most of the unis have said NO because I dont have a Maths A-Level.... two of them have said they would take me if
I do a foundation degree first... which does not appeal atall.... might be ok if THAT was what I wanted to do... but as I dont actually know what I
want to do... its a bit tricky..
I am starting to realise that I wont get far in any career with out some formal training and qualifications... hence why I thought about uni... but no
idea where to specialise...
Its sort of tempting to throw in my job and dissapear around the world for a year to try and find the meaning of life, but I dont think I would find
it...
So.... the floor is yours... what IS the point?
[Edited on 3/3/10 by tegwin]
You sound like me but with better paid jobs.
|
|
|
eddie99
|
| posted on 7/3/10 at 09:32 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Jasper
Somebody should write a book on all these responses ..... very good reading.
+1
|
NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
|
