Being content is hard, but no joy?
Surely there's been fleeting moments of joy here and there (or perhaps for a period of time during a role then it's gone?). What were they?
If not, was there any joy out of work?
Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
81–90 of 98 posts
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#82This video may not be much of a help, but...
I think is worth some reflections and it is something to many "forgets" / never sees.
"What If Money Was No Object?" /Alan Watts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khOaAHK7efc
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#83Maybe you're a person who works to live? If so, embrace it. Those who enjoy their work are often the opposite: they live to work. You could try tech or any number of other jobs (EMT always sounded fun to me.) But your goal should be to find something that you can tolerate, clock out, and lets you live your life. Stop putting "fulfilling work" and "career" on a pedestal and have fun.
Emt is a hard and thankless job with super low pay. It's really a shame
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#84Been there... went to the military, after that i loved ANY job that not involved getting shot at by the "other guys" and shat at by anyone higher ranking than me.
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#85Have you tried creating a business? People forget this is the most opportunity-filled, complex economy in the history of humanity. The idea of "spend your career at corporations" is only about 100 years old as a result of the industrial rev. Forget it about it for a second. My grandfather launched a company in his youth and it was considered normal, he wasn't considered an "entrepreneur", he was just doing what many…
Don't like 99% of small businesses fail?
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#86Have you tried creating a business? People forget this is the most opportunity-filled, complex economy in the history of humanity. The idea of "spend your career at corporations" is only about 100 years old as a result of the industrial rev. Forget it about it for a second. My grandfather launched a company in his youth and it was considered normal, he wasn't considered an "entrepreneur", he was just doing what many…
Don't like 99% of small businesses fail?
I imagine the majority of those that don't fail aren't exactly on easy street either.
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#87I see ADHD mentioned a lot on HN, so I hesitate to suggest that you be screened for it. One thing I will say is I'm the same age and have quit a comparable amount of jobs in my life. When I finally did get screened the doc said this was fairly common among people with ADHD. Variety and a certain amount of autonomy is really important for me in order to be content at a job for longer than a year. Not trying to diagnose you off a single post, but just food for thought. Best of luck to you.
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#88I received this idea from my crossfit coach from years gone by.
Strive to be 1% better today, at something, anything, or everything.
A journey doing this regularly will enrich your life. Sort of like teaching a child to read, and encouraging them to read. 10 minutes a day... is 3650 minutes a year. Increments add up, skills progress. If you're not great at something, become above average at everything. Grow your life.
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#89Earlier quoted context omitted.
Don't like 99% of small businesses fail?
I imagine the majority of those that don't fail aren't exactly on easy street either.
Limited liability companies are there to protect you.
I've known half a dozen wealth people who had gone bust 2-3 times before being running their current business.
They make hay whilst the sun shines and expect the market to change in the medium term. Triggering a reset.
Re: Ask HN: 30 years old with no career
#90Most jobs aren't particularly lovable. That's why they pay you to do the work, right? Your expectations around work may be a little unrealistic. Ultimately, you work to earn money.
The thing is, because of supply and demand, you get paid more for work that is either undesirable or requires rare skills (or both).
Note that rare skills may be acquired through training or schooling, so if you have a rare skill you're interested in acquiring, you should go for it.
The trade you were apprenticing in sounds like it would have led to a career. It sounds like you quit, though?