anyone successfully escape the 9 to 5 life?

[Leonardo]

Originally Posted by ScoobsMcGee

I wouldn't be surprised if the only dream job for many people is "lottery recipient." Even then, some would want more for less effort.

"Do I have to come pick my lottery winnings check up? Can't you just mail it to me?"

[MuseChaser]

Not a whole lot to add.. but that never stopped me before..


1. Yes, it's great to have a job you love. In many ways, it's even better to have a job you feel good about doing... a very important distinction. If those two things intersect, that is awesome... and very rare. I did not enjoy the day gig I did for 31 years, but it was good valuable work that did a lot of good for a lot of people, it finally paid pretty well the last decade of it, and it allowed me to care for my family with only slight financial stress here and there. I managed to sock enough away that, combined w/ a small pension, my wife and I can continue living as we did while I was working without having to cut back or worry about a "fixed income." Now, the work I'm doing is ONLY the work I love to do.. playing great music with great people and/or great musicians.

2. For some folks, their work is their life. For others, their work is what they do so they can have and afford a life. I was the latter, and that was OK. There were times when I WAS so miserable at work that I didn't think I could keep going; went through the want ads, tried to think of different careers, applied for similar jobs but for other employers, contemplated $15k/yr pay cuts for something that looked less awful... but never took the plunge and just stuck it out. I am VERY glad I did. At 55, I still felt like I did when I was 30, my kids were all grown up and out of the house, and I retired from the day gig. That was over three years ago, and my wife and I are like college kids dating again.. except no classes or papers to write! Not a care in the world.



If I had given in to the despair I had felt at various times throughout my "standard" career, I'd probably still be doing something I'd rather not be doing, and having to do it until I was cold and stiff. It was Sooooooooooo worth it. Hang in there.. play the long game. Do good things for other people. Don't worry about how miserable you are.. that just ensures that you'll stay miserable. Be grateful for what you DO have. Keeping your sights on what you have and how you can help others is a much richer, joyful life than keeping your sights on what you don't have and how others can help you.


Just my thoughts.

[N1rve]

I work 6:30 AM - 3:30 PM M-F. Less traffic going to work, less traffic coming home, gym is empty @ 3:30 and I can eat lunch before the lunch rush. I just sleep earlier than anyone else though.

[MuseChaser]

Originally Posted by ScoobsMcGee

I wouldn't be surprised if the only dream job for many people is "lottery recipient." Even then, some would want more for less effort.

This is going to sound a bit political, but here goes .... let me know if I'm crossing a line...


Everyone seems to love and celebrate a lottery winner's good fortune when they win millions of dollars and become extremely rich....


But the folks who create and build companies, employ thousands of people, and most of whom donate millions every year to cure diseases, help fight poverty and hunger... those folks are hated, at least by a significant percentage of the US population, because they are extremely rich.


Soooo... It's great to become rich through the lottery, but NOT through hard work and/or enterprise? Never quite understood that apparent disconnect...

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by MuseChaser

This is going to sound a bit political, but here goes .... let me know if I'm crossing a line...


Everyone seems to love and celebrate a lottery winner's good fortune when they win millions of dollars and become extremely rich....


But the folks who create and build companies, employ thousands of people, and most of whom donate millions every year to cure diseases, help fight poverty and hunger... those folks are hated, at least by a significant percentage of the US population, because they are extremely rich.


Soooo... It's great to become rich through the lottery, but NOT through hard work and/or enterprise? Never quite understood that apparent disconnect...

Not political just human nature to think that anybody with more was simply handed it while everybody with less works so hard.


My favourite lottery thing is when somebody like a doctor or that people consider already "rich" wins. All of a sudden there is an out cry of "It's not FAIR" and "They don't NEED it". Need is not definable and anybody that buys a ticket has an equal chance of winning so it is perfectly fair.

[ScoobsMcGee]

Originally Posted by MuseChaser

This is going to sound a bit political, but here goes .... let me know if I'm crossing a line...


Everyone seems to love and celebrate a lottery winner's good fortune when they win millions of dollars and become extremely rich....


But the folks who create and build companies, employ thousands of people, and most of whom donate millions every year to cure diseases, help fight poverty and hunger... those folks are hated, at least by a significant percentage of the US population, because they are extremely rich.


Soooo... It's great to become rich through the lottery, but NOT through hard work and/or enterprise? Never quite understood that apparent disconnect...

Further down the rabbit hole, but... I suspect that has to do with the lottery winner being perceived as one of us working class folk who broke out, while the person who started his or her own business and grew successful over time is the one suppressing the working class for their own gain. True or not.

That said, there are plenty of successful business owners who got there by doing some things that are ethically questionable at best. Just not all of them.

[Gunman]

Originally Posted by MuseChaser

This is going to sound a bit political, but here goes .... let me know if I'm crossing a line...

I've worked for multimillionaires, and side by side with those that own their business. What is never seen/understood by most people, is that these rich people are the ones holding the risk, and they work all the time, even when golfing, or yachting, etc. Lottery winners are viewed as "deserving", because they didn't have it before, not because they earned it. I still want to win it though

Now, about "dream jobs". I hear it a lot, and one time a new coworker, who had just gotten his "dream job in racing", asked me why I give so many extra hours to the company without overtime pay? My reply was simple, look outside, and how many people want to take my "dream job"?

"dream jobs" are work too, I can't say it's ever really a "dream", there is stress, long hours, and short deadlines. I'd focus more on getting into a job that you enjoy, even if it's not what you perceive as your "dream". It may not be the work, but the people you work with, that make it enjoyable More than a few people have gotten into a job that they loved doing as a hobby, but now no longer enjoy the hobby, because it's become work.

[RToyo86]

I work compressed 6-4ish four day weeks.

Gives me a weekday to do get stuff done.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by why?

I had an uncle work a 3 day work week in the tech field working 12 hours a day, but that's the only real escape I've ever seen.

I did this for two years, worked Fr/Sa/Sn 12 hour day shift 6:00a - 6:30p and loved it. The best part was taking a 36 hour vacation and being on for 11 days instead of 9. It's only two additional days but it "feels" like two full weeks because of the weekend in-between.

[StraightOuttaCanadaEh]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Even when they do you may find that your dream job all of a sudden just turns into a job once you have it so you need to be careful what you ask for.

Yep happened to me. Was dreaming about my current job for 8 years, studied and worked at the same time, and through some measure of luck and persistence I finally have it, and having now had it for almost 4 years, I'm already starting to feel that "okay so what's next" sensation creeping in. But then I think about where I was and where I am now compared to where I was, and that makes me happy... for a little while. I think the problem with people who are ambitious or, let's just say professionally restless, is that they're never happy with what they have. It's not what they achieved, but what could have been achieved had they worked just a bit harder. That's what gnaws at them. The point of comparison is the next rung in the ladder and not the previous. Sucks but oh well.

[rice_classic]

Originally Posted by Gunman

I've worked for multimillionaires, and side by side with those that own their business. What is never seen/understood by most people, is that these rich people are the ones holding the risk...

I'm sorry but that's simply not true at all. It's a falsehood that's so often perpetuated by the folks who benefit from you believing it. None of the multi-millionaires and business owners I know are holding any risk. Some have put some of their own capital into the enterprise but not more than they can afford to depart with.

They could all shutter their businesses tomorrow and all of the wealth and alternate revenue streams (rental income, dividends, capital gains) would remain in tact. Meanwhile all their employees would be screwed because they only have a sole source of income and it's fair to argue that in most cases employees carry the real risk in the success/failure of the business, not the multi-millionaire.

[rice_classic]

I'm fortunate that I found a job that I'm good at and allows me the income I need to play with the toys I want to play with and the quality of life to do so. However I am in contract sales and part of that quality of life is being good at my job such that I essentially allow myself that quality of life. I've had plenty of other jobs where I could have been the best ever and the QoL would never improve.

[EAGLE5]

Jobs are grinds, essentially always. Even Jeremy Clarkson has to get into a car sometimes and say, "OK, here we go again." The writing must get old sometimes. I love working with kids, but it definitely drags sometimes, especially when I have to manage and make phone calls as well.

[krayzie]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

I did this for two years, worked Fr/Sa/Sn 12 hour day shift 6:00a - 6:30p and loved it. The best part was taking a 36 hour vacation and being on for 11 days instead of 9. It's only two additional days but it "feels" like two full weeks because of the weekend in-between.

I'm working a similar 12 hour shift rotation as this right now. Our stint ranges from 2 to 4 days, and I basically work a 15 to 17 day month instead of a 9 to 5 / 21 day month. Since my commute is only a 10 min drive, the extra 3 hours of commuting downtown and back just get shifted to being in the office which isn't bad at all.

I find that I can get a lot more things done during the week without having to take time off like I did before. It has its perks.