find work I'm passionate about

I have been reading that gifted kids can “drop out” of school if they aren’t challenged enough. That is essentially what I have done with my career. Also my job has to match my values or I get really frustrated. I gave up my career when I hit a ceiling, got bored, and was not learning new things. My job as a cashier now is getting boring fast. I think I was underachieving when I chose my first career. Now I am not sure what to do. I know I need challenges but not sure I want to spend the money to go back to university again. I try to find challenges outside work but still need more.

I know that I have a knack for design and for writing. I hope that I am good enough too translate that into a career that I love. In order to do that, I need make sure I know everything I can about what I want to do.

i’m currently teaching… and finding it very rewarding. i taught a special needs class a few months ago and i throughly enjoyed it (even if at times they drove me a bit mad)

i like working with kids, just not all the time ):

I’m a little old for passion at this point.

I’m not sure about this.

I don’t want to be too passionate about anything, as this has gotten me into trouble before. lol

I’d like to be just passionate enough to wanna get out of bed in the morning & really wanna do this.

& of course, it would be absolutely lovely to make plenty of money & be able to live independently & have fun & learn to invest & all that jazz! :)

Research Assistant. Gene expression in oesophageal cancer. Yes, it’s interesting stuff, but being in a small ‘group’ is an experience in itself because you lack that critical mass and momentum in your work. More room to grow, but you gotta have balls to do it.

I was going to read the previous entries, mention the people that almost stopped me from getting here, but I won’t. Truth is, I was considering another career. Unreasonable stress (diplomatically put) and disillusionment almost did it for me. But having worked at hotel… in a skirt... quickly reminded me what I was missing.

So… I have this great job, not to mention that going from an commercial RA to a grant-funded RA not only gave my work real meaning again, but a REALLY healthy pay-rise (more to do with being taken advantage of when the bottom line is dollars, not lives).

The passionate part will develop as my skills and self-esteem do. Achieving real outcomes entails more than just doing what is expected, but doing more and knowing that you’re a player in the field, not just along for the ride.

Have even thought about doing a PhD again, but this time I’ll know when the time is right and all systems are go. Until then… game on ;)

I have a [temporary] job. Doing rookie/petty stuff for a short-term project (and will be working unsocial hours). It fits me nicely. I just started doing small tasks today. Will start full in ± 8 days. I hope I don’t screw up!

^{This is entry 3 of 3 this week.
Illustration credit: http://www.re-ment.us}

because nothing makes me want it that bad.

I’ve made progress, though it’s not even 2/3 the way crossed-off. Earlier this year I observed and sat-in (with the intention of auditing, though that proved too much) several classes at a local world-class University’s graduate school of education. I read articles and books and did online research about grad schools and programs and possible careers in education administration and non-teaching positions.

More recently I’ve thought about psychology and am also reading books and some online research- need to do more of that. I even had an informational interview with a current post-doctoral scholar, on academia and how to approach Ph.D. work. It’s a big big thing, but I Want it with a capital ‘w’ and believe in myself. More and more these days I see and pray (athiest-style) for the strength/capability/energy/motivation/opportunity to pursue my dreams, or at least keep dreaming them.

p.s. Wish me luck, and send a good word if you have or are studying for a Ph.D. or MA. Thanks! :)