71–80 of 192 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I am almost 50 and on my ninth job. I haven’t been “passionate” about my job ever. It has always served as no more than a means to support my addiction to food and shelter.
How booring. Has there really not been anything fun and exciting in any of your nine jobs?
Whenever I read articles like this, I’m so grateful that in the U.K. healthcare is not tied to your job. The NHS may struggle and have its issues. But I have never had to experience the stress of the thought of losing access to care.
I know at least one couple close to retirement that is waiting until one of them can get onto cobra for the months before they can get onto Medicare. (They just budgeted for cobra in their planning.)
I like how the Aussies do it (or at least how they did it last I looked): basic public healthcare plan provided by the government, then supplemental plans offered by the employer as a benefit.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I am almost 50 and on my ninth job. I haven’t been “passionate” about my job ever. It has always served as no more than a means to support my addiction to food and shelter.
> served as no more than a means to support my addiction to food and shelter. Haha, that's a poetic way to put it. How do you set boundaries? Any tips?
Whenever I read articles like this, I’m so grateful that in the U.K. healthcare is not tied to your job. The NHS may struggle and have its issues. But I have never had to experience the stress of the thought of losing access to care.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I am almost 50 and on my ninth job. I haven’t been “passionate” about my job ever. It has always served as no more than a means to support my addiction to food and shelter.
> served as no more than a means to support my addiction to food and shelter. Haha, that's a poetic way to put it. How do you set boundaries? Any tips?
1. Develop a strong network
2. Keep an updated career document with a list of your accomplishments in STAR format
3. Keep your skill set in line with the market
4. Live below your means and keep a cash cushion
5. Don’t be a “ticker taker” work on having projects with scope where you can talk about things “you led” or “you designed”
Now worse case, you can find another job quickly. I was PIPed from AWS last year and found another job within three weeks because I was prepared. I also lived enough below my means where I didn’t need “FAANG money” to be comfortable.
On the other hand, you need to know how to talk about trade offs within the holy trinity of any project - on time, on budget and meets requirements. When one changes, the others have to change.
If you only take one thing from this article, let it be this line: My work is only part of my identity. I'd argue that unless you're literally curing cancer, it should be the least important part of your identity. I've never let work be more than the tiniest facet of my existence that provides the resources necessary to well... not die. I understand this isn't the easiest thing for most people - tribalism and pack id…
I hear this argument and I should point out that it can hurt people saying something like that. I understand where you are coming from and I disagree strongly with your statement. Around age 12 I discovered software development and became my greatest passion. It helped me escape MMORPG addiction and being happy (have a family, buy a home, pursue my hobbies). If I lost my job I would be sad, no doubt, but I would stil…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I am almost 50 and on my ninth job. I haven’t been “passionate” about my job ever. It has always served as no more than a means to support my addiction to food and shelter.
How booring. Has there really not been anything fun and exciting in any of your nine jobs?
Learn a real craft instead that doesn't put you on a balance sheet. This career and economy movement has tricked all of us into building an identity from work. I believe strongly that we should start more anti-work movements. No not like the one at reddit.
Hmm. What is an example of a 'real craft'? I'm not sure I follow.
E.g. in no particular order: metal smith (silver gold etc), welder, carpentry, plumber, mechanic, fine artist, sculptor, textile. Basically the 'real trades' that have been around and should be around for many years.
The type of jobs that the white collars can't do without.
Either you outperform other CEOs and get rich on your own business, or you go this other path as I exemplified :D.
Now the gray zone is your regular 9-5, probably good co-workers, you make good living and work to live. The downside is that flexibility. So you need to think about what trades are you willing to make. I didn't mean to sound so 'dramatic' and pretend it's all black and white.
Whenever I read articles like this, I’m so grateful that in the U.K. healthcare is not tied to your job. The NHS may struggle and have its issues. But I have never had to experience the stress of the thought of losing access to care.