Another option is opening my own firm, but that takes clients, which is not my strong suit. It would be really cool to start something of my own, but do I stick with the current firm which will eventually become partly mine? Hopefully this year’s review will answer a lot of my questions.

Now I am planning on returning to finish my degree in college as a 71 y/o. I have to decide on a degree to work toward. I have finally settled (I think) on Accounting. It is very easy and interesting to me, but I know it will also work me hard and tax my brain before I get the degree. Even at 74-75 I should have no trouble getting a job because I have SS & 2 small retirements, so I won’t need top dollar in any job I apply for. There are many small businesses, hospitals, schools, etc. that can’t afford to pay that top dollar and would be glad of good help.

But this is not the passion of my life, I don’t have one – except for reading and that isn’t a job description totally. But I will be happy and useful as long as I am alive and will be getting extra money to do some traveling, etc.

In fact, shortly after my husband died, I went back to my old job at the mental inst. and worked for 6 months- the amount allowed so I wouldn’t lose my retirement. I had a ball, helped them out immensely, and saved enough money to do a lot of traveling in country this year.

I don’t think I’ve ever had a job or lived anywhere that I absoutely hated. Too much wonder abroad in God’s world!

There is no right answer to this question, each will answer it on thier own in thier own way, for me, I am an independent contractor, I choose the places I want to go and the job I want to accept, and the compensation I will recieve, yes I still am working for someone but I have a little more say in the matter.

Who knows maybe one day I will figure out my dream Career or maybe figure out I just want to travel, study, or play who knows.

I do agree that even though some of us might have their gigs with trying out higher paying jobs that we don’t like untill we find that great career opportunity that we truly enjoy doing.
But those options are as unique as the 6 billion unique individuals on our planet.

I think this is a great post. Some people are mentally and emotionally trained to take on any job and excel at it, but happiness is a different story. It’s hard to pinpoint what one would want years down the road, a general idea exists, but there are many twists and turns while living which may defer or divert goals to something else, which may include a spouse or a child. I think the best type of work is where one can realistically accomplish its requirements, earn just enough to spend and save, and have a schedule which does not limit spending time with loved ones. No job is worth the money earned if it takes time away from the personal life. No job is worth keeping no matter how happy it makes you, if the people who support you emotionally cannot be cared for financially.

-J

In “It’s a Meaningful Life: It Just Takes Practice,” Bo Lozoff questions the need for a grand “career” with which we define ourselves. He notes that in the past “so, what do you do?” would have been answered with a list of passions, hobbies, volunteer work, family relations … not a job description. And he argues that the old way was better.

So maybe those who feel a niggling sense of guilt that they’ve “sold out” by taking a higher-paying but less-wonderful job need to ask themselves if they assume their job is a means to an end or an end in itself. Each person’s answer to that question may be another way s/he can decide which choice to make in this Big Debate.

I studied with so many music teachers when I was young: they hated school, they hated kids, they hated teaching. They had even less time to pursue their dreams, because they were playing weddings on weekends, giving private lessons at night, all because they couldn’t make ends meet.

I’ll never forget a gig I had a long time ago where we had a substitute player – a superb sax player who just got off a jazz tour. I was in college at the time, and I was admiring his life. He looked at me and said, “Man, if I was good at math like you, I’d *never* do this for a living!” I feel lucky to have interacted with so many honest musicians before I made a mistake studying the wrong thing in college.

As Kanye West says, “Money isn’t everything, but not having it is.”

Money can’t fix your problems, unless your problem is worrying about money.

@Kevin: I’m there with you. I know in very broad brush-strokes where I’d like to be eventually, but I have no idea about the details or how it’ll eventually play out.

I don’t need to be a professional musician to play music, and I don’t need to earn money from blogging to be a writer, but I can’t get my geeky maths fix from a hobby that I’m willing to take up, so I do it for a living instead.

I’m in the same position. I’ve been thinking about this for over 2 years now and still no closer to an answer.

With this approach, you’ve just made the perfect connection. Thanks!