It's A Dirty Job, And I Love It
forbes.com
It's A Dirty Job, And I Love It
1–10 of 32 posts
Re: It's A Dirty Job, And I Love It
#2Hm, the scary thing is, I think if my true passion was picking up road kill, I would probably never find out. It would never have occured to me to try that profession. So I am doomed :-(
Re: It's A Dirty Job, And I Love It
#3Why not follow both your passions AND the opportunities around you? Why does it have to be an either/or thing?
If you're passionate about something, chances are you'll spot opportunities to do it. "Follow your opportunities" is good advice, but this article fails to realise that some (most?) of us won't feel that we've fulfilled our purpose in life (irrespective of religious considerations - I'm talking about that sense of self-fulfillment you get when you're doing something you think is worthwhile) if we spend it castrating lamb with our teeth.
So follow your passion AND your opportunities. Don't settle for only one.
Re: It's A Dirty Job, And I Love It
#4Hmmm. Some of the jobs are extreme examples but a smart kid I knew since he was a toddler - when he graduated from high school in his valedictory address said, "Work doesn't necessarily make you happy. but it may give you to means to do the stuff that makes you happy."
There is a point that some of the most profitable jobs are those that people don't like to do and/or niches.
Re: It's A Dirty Job, And I Love It
#5Hm, the scary thing is, I think if my true passion was picking up road kill, I would probably never find out. It would never have occured to me to try that profession. So I am doomed :-(
I picked up roadkill for two summers in a row while working for the DPW, but we never called it roadkill, we denoted the dearly departed as 'buddies'. It was sorta funny since you may wonder, "Where do all them buddies go after you get done pickin em all up?" They all went in this 12ft hole known as the buddy pit.
Re: It's A Dirty Job, And I Love It
#6Mike Rowe is a great guy, and this was a great article. This is why I come to hacker news.
Re: It's A Dirty Job, And I Love It
#7"I've been thinking about the first time I castrated a lamb with my teeth."
Suddenly, my job satisfaction sitting here programming just went up a notch.
Re: It's A Dirty Job, And I Love It
#8a common thread seems to be working outside and/or working with animals. I'm convinced that there are qualities to these jobs that resonate more with our innate (evolved) abilities than a desk / programming job. I'm thinking of taking 3-4 months off to volunteer in a national park (or something like that) between my current job and my next
Re: It's A Dirty Job, And I Love It
#9Why not follow both your passions AND the opportunities around you? Why does it have to be an either/or thing? If you're passionate about something, chances are you'll spot opportunities to do it. "Follow your opportunities" is good advice, but this article fails to realise that some (most?) of us won't feel that we've fulfilled our purpose in life (irrespective of religious considerations - I'm talking about that se…
There's nothing wrong with your advice. The problem is that too many people think they must find their passion in their work and that's a tall order to fill. Far easier to work to pay the bills and indulge your passions after that's done.
Re: It's A Dirty Job, And I Love It
#10Mike Rowe is a great guy, and this was a great article. This is why I come to hacker news.
"What does surprise me is the fact that everybody I've met on this gig--with the possible exception of the lamb--seems to be having a ball."
I love Mike Rowe's sense of humor. Even if I did scream in revulsion when I read the first paragraph.