The sad reality is that in order to do something one truly aspires to, one generally must do the shit jobs first, whether to get their debt down to a managable level, or in order to build up some savings so that working their job of choice doesn't put them in the poor house.
Also, few people who LIKE what they do for a living make a good living at it. It seems to me that the trade off is always doing something you like for less money, or something you dislike and living more comfortably.
Take Emergency Medicine for example. Garbage men make more money than most Paramedics, EMTs and Firefighters...so how do we get anyone to fill these positions? Simple, these men and women LOVE what they do. Their families support them in their decision to work at a job which they will have to put in triple overtime just to keep the kids in clothes as they grow and pay the bills, knowing that instead, they have a job that they get up every morning ready to go to.
I miss Emergency Medicine, but the reality of my situation was that without a second income, (of a husband, let's say) I could not keep that job and survive on my own, at least not in Lansing. If given the opportunity, I'd do it over and muck through it, because I respected myself every day when I was doing medicine, I loved going to work, and I even enjoyed most of my co-workers...
It is unsettling that in order to do something you dream about, or are really passionate about you have to give up the luxury that wouldn't have you living paycheck to paycheck, or neck deep in debt. Unfortunately, for most people that is how it is. We're told all through our childhood how we can do ANYTHING we want to, but when we get out on our own the truth is that we can, but only if we're prepared to be on a financial fault-line for most of our adult lives and kind of roll the dice on our retirement futures.
Also, few people who LIKE what they do for a living make a good living at it. It seems to me that the trade off is always doing something you like for less money, or something you dislike and living more comfortably.
Take Emergency Medicine for example. Garbage men make more money than most Paramedics, EMTs and Firefighters...so how do we get anyone to fill these positions? Simple, these men and women LOVE what they do. Their families support them in their decision to work at a job which they will have to put in triple overtime just to keep the kids in clothes as they grow and pay the bills, knowing that instead, they have a job that they get up every morning ready to go to.
I miss Emergency Medicine, but the reality of my situation was that without a second income, (of a husband, let's say) I could not keep that job and survive on my own, at least not in Lansing. If given the opportunity, I'd do it over and muck through it, because I respected myself every day when I was doing medicine, I loved going to work, and I even enjoyed most of my co-workers...
It is unsettling that in order to do something you dream about, or are really passionate about you have to give up the luxury that wouldn't have you living paycheck to paycheck, or neck deep in debt. Unfortunately, for most people that is how it is. We're told all through our childhood how we can do ANYTHING we want to, but when we get out on our own the truth is that we can, but only if we're prepared to be on a financial fault-line for most of our adult lives and kind of roll the dice on our retirement futures.
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