• rohan
    10
    Should you follow passion/'destiny'/'purpose'/genes/strenghts or should you follow you think is needed/ fits with the market (meaning, there are jobs for that particular field)

    Why am I asking this? Well the work that you do is for most people on this planet (including me) gonna take a significant portion of your limited time on earth as a human. The reason I ask this in my opinion essential question is because it haven't found many people that think about this, even though its a grand thing('career' choice).

    I myself am now following a Software Engineering study course. The reason I chose this is because with the skills of a software engineer you can have the ability to automate or make certain tasks more efficient (Which is the whole goal of technology?). Well I wanna live in a world where everyone would focus on automating every task within technological reach so that the whole idea of needing to find some thing to have a living would cease to exist (except if your ofcourse pessimistic and think elysium will happen).

    I also chose this because in general if you have skills in the field of technology then the chance of finding a job that pays higher than minimum wage seems to almost everywhere be higher. I assume that is because technology is maybe one of the most valuable things humans have created, because it saves time and resources by making things more efficient or automated. And I think all humans value their time immensely because we subconsciously or consciously know that time is maybe one of the most valuable resources that exist.

    If I earn more than minimum wage when I'm finished with the degree then my ability to provide for myself and/or my family becomes greater. I am not interested in big extravagant products and expenses like a big house, the ability to have a big family(or having kids whatsoever), or just expensive things in general. I am actually more interested in being able to provide for my basic necessicities as best as I can, like water, rent, healthy food and electricity.

    Now, am I particularly passionate about Software engineering?

    No, I am quite indifferent to the actually programming/software engineering itself. Ofcourse when I do manage to program something that works and I pass a test then I get some sort of gratification. At the the moment the act of programming is not particularly fun to me and I have to really put my head down to it, my reptilian brain would rather do something that is fun/in my comfort zone like making music, listening to music, talking to people, watching youtube, researching all kinds of topics or questions I have, and playing games or just doing nothing that has any market value whatsoever( I realize this is because of my privileged position, this is how I led my life the past 18 years).

    I actually mainly like doing nothing and one of my definite passions is the idea of having freedom to do whatever I want, even if that means doing nothing at all (as opposed to having to give up 40+ hours a week to earn a basic living). But this is completely against the way things are in the sense that you have to do something to make a living. The thing is, having doing nothing as something that you find fun makes it really hard to even consider any job I would like, or even the idea of a passion as your destiny and job (there are alot of wealthy people that give this as advice, to do what you like, and that that will make you wealthy).

    Now one of my strenghts or 'passions', are playing and composing music, which I have done for 8 years now, I understand alot about music now. It is totally in my comfort zone now. The obvious answer for most people as advice to me would be 'Follow your passion, do what makes you happy/you find fun' and proceed to get some sort of music degree (which has extremely low chance of finding a job) or try to make career with music (with literally millions around the globe trying to do the same thing) which also has alot of insecurity money-wise.

    Other things I do 'naturally'/are in my comfort zone/I find fun, is talking to people and observing people. I like talking to people because I like connecting with people and I also like comedy or laughing and that is always fun to do with other people. Some people even say I should start a youtube channel of some sorts (But I don't want any kind of public exposure).

    The answer here could be 'Go into Sales! if you like talking so much' , but most sales involve selling a product that has very little value or usefullness to most of society and doesn't improve anything in some large scale. Sure with sales you might make a portion of society subjectively happy for a moment with some kind of product and sales talk. And there are probably sales jobs that do sell products that have definite value but those require experience going through crappy sales jobs first.
    And second, the sales people will in the end, always be dependent on the people creating the product in the first place, which I can see that that is not a position that I think I would like being in.

    I also like doing nothing and thinking about all kinds of things (most of the times, with no particular goal in mind or something that has market-value). This is something I do automatically/is in my comfort zone, so here the obvious answer could be 'Go into Sociology/Philosophy/History/Psychology'.
    But again the likelyhood that this will provide a job for me besides a minimum wage job that has nothing to do with the fields I just mentioned. There is a possibility you can become a teacher with these degrees, but I don't want to because I don't want public exposure.

    You can say that I think to much or something, but thats the whole reason I write here. Because If I want generic responses I can just talk to people in my vicinity.

    I'm 20 years old, thanks for reading and thanks in advance.
  • jkop
    891
    You can do both: get sufficiently educated for a job you don't hate, and which leaves you with enough time and energy to pursue your own projects on the side. Doing what you like can make you good at it, and being good may increase your chances of doing it full time.
  • mcdoodle
    1.1k
    Should you follow passion/'destiny'/'purpose'/genes/strenghts or should you follow you think is needed/ fits with the market (meaning, there are jobs for that particular field)rohan

    Rohan, you sound like a thoughtful person with a lively brain, so my bet is you're going to do ok in working life.

    I was a creative writer most of my working life, which meant that I did lots of other work to pay the bills. Even a minor tech skill helps get gigging jobs of one kind or another, so if I were you I'd get the tech qualification behind you. One hassle with tech qualifications is that they're often in yesterday's key areas rather than today's; you need to have a nose for what cutting-edge people are doing and emulate that, even though your teachers may not be au fait with it, so you may have to do that in your own time.

    The other thing that's worth working at is combining your skill areas. I'm sure you will spot holes, for instance, in music software, and gaps in the market. That way you end up applying tech skills to stuff you care about, at least some of the time.

    Your getting on with people in general is just going to stand you in good stead. Work not on YOuTube but on what you think is coming next after YouTube and be prepared to be the back office for other talented people. I feel that's where my life has developed best, when I've spotted talented people and tried to help them and work with them.
  • Wayfarer
    22.3k
    I myself am now following a Software Engineering study course.rohan

    Good choice! Stick with it. But always stay current with what is happening in the market, it is moving really fast.
  • TimeLine
    2.7k
    No, I am quite indifferent to the actually programming/software engineering itself. Ofcourse when I do manage to program something that works and I pass a test then I get some sort of gratification. At the the moment the act of programming is not particularly fun to me and I have to really put my head down to it, my reptilian brain would rather do something that is fun/in my comfort zone like making music, listening to music, talking to people, watching youtube, researching all kinds of topics or questions I have, and playing games or just doing nothing that has any market value whatsoever( I realize this is because of my privileged position, this is how I led my life the past 18 years).rohan

    Indifference is a horrible state. To say you will marry someone because you are indifferent to their personality is like officially committing soul suicide. The saying 'married to career' is really because your time is mostly spent in your working life, so let it be what you really love. To sit, day in day out, indifferent to your work would be so meaningless just like sitting at a restaurant with your partner and looking at your phone the whole time rather than actually having a meaningful conversation (since conversations make up the bulk of a relationship). I find indifference to be worse than the state of anxiety or subjective fear because at least there is a part of you screaming to live. Fall in love with life, man, it has so much to offer.

    I like how you say reptilian, not sure if you are referring to the Triune Brain Model, but whether you are or not you would need to set aside your instinctual nature and welcome yourself to the desert of the real too and I think this is where your conflict lies. Our creative desires often keep us short on cash. I never had a privileged position, I spent my undergraduate days trying to stretch out a loaf of bread for a week and sleeping on an airbed, but I did that because I have ambition to get to what I really love despite the fact that I have to work full-time just to live and pay my bills and rent. You can find a middle ground, so think about what it is that you would do happily on a full-time basis and work towards it. Once you have a plan, life becomes interesting.
  • TheMadFool
    13.8k
    The question so phrased hints you're thinking the two choices are mutually exclusive.

    But as jkop pointed out it needn't be so. However, when it comes to actualizing the two options together it will be difficult.

    I don't how far this is true but I think the problem you're facing is quite common and there are millions out there faced with this slippery dilemma.

    Also, to tell you the truth, humanity has evolved since we first appeared on earth. Even back then, in the stone ages, people found space and time to do the thing that impassioned them - Google rock art, paintings, statues, etc. The modern world is, contrary to your state of confusion, greatly conducive to following one's passions - we have musicians, painters, poets, writers, etc. So I think your situation is better than you make it out to be.
  • hyena in petticoat
    31
    Hello,

    I've been working for over a decade and I can't really say I am exceptionally passionate about my career choice. I am on the other hand very passionate about being very very good at whatever I do.

    To your point, I'd say you have to like whatever career you choose to a certain extent. As you seem to. You don't have to be very passionate about it, but you have to like it. You can start specializing in areas of that career you enjoy most.

    I've been specializing in Marketing but has recently transitioned to an operations and people management role which allowed me avenues to practice analytics, process improvements and people development which I'm finding I do enjoy. And you're still young. Just try to list down stuff you like doing, and narrow down your options from there. Like what you did as above. I'm sure wherever that takes you, you can make it work if you really want to.

    Try to find a job that allows you to maintain a good work-life balance thereby allowing you to pursue what your passionate about alongside it.

    Might be good to note as well that doing things you like can sometimes be more special by the mere fact that you don't get to do it often. I remember someone telling me they used to be very passionate about writing but when they had it for a job they started hating it.

    Anyway, just a couple of cents from a person who never had any specific career goals other than be good at whatever job I'm in. Modesty aside, that never stopped me from being content and relatively successful.
  • DSES
    1
    Hey rohan,

    I can relate to your post as I find myself in a somewhat similar situation.

    The mentorial quality of responses is really encouraging, but still somewhat generic (no disrespect).

    Maybe the answer is to try everything, and check the mirror every day to see if your eyeballs are the same size. If at any point one starts to bulge, that might be a good indication to change direction. If not, keep going.

    Honestly, I don't know how some people maintain their careers without one eye ball busting out of its socket. If anyone has any advice, I'd be very grateful to hear it.

    - DSES
  • Noblosh
    152

    You think too much or something.
    You can say that I think to much or somethingrohan
    Thank you!

    The true questions are 'Do you feel passionate about secure living?' & 'Do you feel secure about following your passion?'.
    You say you need money to support yourself and for that you need a job but what is a job but something you're paid to do and what is something you're paid to do but a chore. You want to make a living? Then live! Don't sell it away...
    I guess what you think: you might not trust my reasoning at this point but then I might just have to disagree. I mean, think about it, is there a true dichotomy in your dillema? Or you need to reevaluate the very structure of your understanding!

    Hey, I understand you, I would like to observe what you observe but I don't like public exposure either. You got it? We make these silly expectations about life and then worry they might be true and we miss the moment: we've got just one to spare and we're continuously wasting it thinking about it: 'Should I live this one? Neah, it's wasted anyway by now!'.

    I don't know how to put it in a less ridiculous, more ludicrous way... You don't make sense but I try!
    Like I don't think a loner enjoys solitude but not having to deal with others, I don't think you enjoy doing nothing but not doing what you expect yourself to do so not to worry about something you totally made up.
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