Work- Love what you do or a way to make money?

[Donna]

I was listening to a talk radio program on my way home from work tonight and people were calling to talk about the kinds of work they do. Some had found creative ways to turn a passion into a way to make money while others had much different stories.

 

Have you (or your spouse/partner/significant other if you are a stay at home mom) found a way to turn a strong interest (or something you love) into a way to make money?

Is your job something you never thought you'd be doing?

Do you like what you do or is it simply a way to make money?

 

I have been thinking about this as my kids grow into adults and follow different paths. 

[regentrude]

My DH's job is his one big passion. He is a physics professor, and physics is his favorite thing in the world.

I love what I do. I teach physics, but do not do research. I came to teaching accidentally when I needed a part time job when we relocated for DH's job, and I discovered that I really enjoy it and that I am quite good at it. I like it more than I did research (which has to do with me being an extreme extrovert)

 

I am surrounded by people who love what they do. Pretty much everybody in academia does. But also many of my non academic friends have jobs they are passionate about, for example potter, graphic designer, doula and manager of a women's community center, a lady who creates art and courses related to women's spirituality, artisans, pet sitter, antique dealer, forester, choir director, music teacher.

I would say that in my circle of friends loving one's work is far more common than holding some job just for the money.

 

                 

Edited October 19, 2016 by regentrude

[creekland]

Both hubby and I love what we do.  He's a Civil Engineer and I substitute teach mostly science and math at our local high school.

 

He always wanted to be some sort of engineer.  I said I'd never teach - coming from a family of teachers - but I found I love it and others tell me I'm terrific at my job so I probably inherited a teaching gene.  With Physics/Psych and Math(minor) degrees, choosing those classes in high school means I know the material pretty darn well.

 

That said, we both also have other loves.  I've raised and trained ponies for the past 19 years.  He loves sailing.  We both love travel and the great outdoors.  As we're empty nesting, we've been spending a lot of time discussing what we want to do when we grow up.  It might be something totally different and travel related in the future.  Who knows?   :coolgleamA:

 

Neither of us can imagine a life where we didn't love our jobs and just did them "to make money."  We've encouraged our kids to do something they love, esp since so much of our lives is devoted to work.  (Beginning and/or high school jobs and extra jobs taken for a short period of time or in times of "need" are an exception, of course.  I think most of us do those at some point or another.)

[Arcadia]

My hubby loves his job scope which is so niche that it is hard for us to relocate anywhere. He is a R&D semicon engineer. He would take any suitable electrical engineering job than be unemployed though.

I loved the jobs I had which is engineering management so that is easy to find a job anywhere in the world but I have been out of the job market so long that I would need friends and family in the engineering world to help with networking my way back in.

[JustEm]

My dh is a martial arts instructor full time. He chose that as his career because that is what he is passionate about. It doesn't make great money and we're ok with that. It pays the bills, feeds us, leaves room for some fun, and leaves us with the ability to save a bit for the future. I could choose to work full-time to help financially but staying at home with the kids was important for us and something I feel passionate about.

 

I also run my own pet sitting business. It could make me a great living if I ever needed it to and has in the past. For now, I work enough to sock away some extra savings and more fun money. I chose pet sitting because I have a passion for animals. I actually went to undergrad school with a pre vet concentration but by junior year, even before meeting dh, I knew I didn't want to be a veterinarian because I wanted to be a SAHM once I had kids. So even though I had the grade for vet school and am passionate about animals I chose a path I'm more passionate about and keep animal care as a way to also keep my passion for animals fed.

 

We feel truly blessed to be doing the things that are part of our identity and can make money doing it. Although it isn't always easy to stay this path.

[SKL]

My job is not a "passion."  I view it as a duty.

 

There have been times I've liked my job in general, but I've never had a job that was a passion, that I can recall.  I probably never will.

 

I get some fulfillment out of my job, as it uses some of my particular talents.  In the past I've enjoyed a job where I had a lot of meaningful interaction with interesting people and ideas.

 

When I was about 25, I joined a company with the intention of being a developer / inventor of a line of products I'd always wanted to develop.  It didn't work out the way I'd hoped.  I did discover some useful talents at that job, though.  I had fun with the people there.  But no, I did not develop the thing I was passionate about.

[Peaceful Isle]

My dh is passionate about his job. He's a pastor and I could never imagine him doing anything else.

I used to teach elementary age children at private schools. I loved it. I love teaching my children more. Someday I may go back to being a full time away from home teacher, but not for now.

[Scarlett]

I think whether or not you can love your job has more to do with your attitude than the actual job.

 

Working is for money to live. It can be dangerous for work to turn into ones reason for living.

 

It is important to figure out what part of a job we like. For instance, I am personal assistant/ everything for my boss. One of the things I do among many is clean his toilet. Do I love cleaning his toilet? Not usually. But I do love that he is so appreciative of all I do. In that way the pay off for me is the same as when I worked for a large manufacturing company as a customer service rep for major accounts division. I was handling millions in various accounts....responsible for a lot of details.....and I loved that people could depend on me.

 

So I have determined I am service oriented. But only to an extent. For instance I despise food service. I hope to never work in food service again..but I will if I need to to feed my family.

 

I think about this a lot as I guide my son toward his future. I think he is going to graduate high school/ vo tech and go to work. I can't convince myself, much less him that course is wrong. I encourage him to avoid debt for schooling, avoid debt in general, keep his expenses low and find joy in hard work using the talents and abilities you have to the best of your ability.

 

Finally I have never forgotten the words of a Sr vp of the company I world for for 12 years....he had called me in to his office to give me a raise during one of the worst times in the company 's history. He said, 'if you can get up every day and not hate coming to work, you are ahead of the game. ".

[Ali in OR]

I love teaching. I'm in my last year of home schooling and am trying to figure out what to do next (assuming I have care for disabled dd--may be a big assumption). I don't need to teach for the money, but some income would be nice. Maybe subbing so I could have days off too. Maybe just teach a few periods--I wouldn't want a full load unless I needed to for insurance or income if dh lost his job. 

[Frances]

My husband loved the actual work part of his previous career in academia, especially the teaching and advising, but the extremely long hours and low pay eventually wore him down. He doesn't enjoy his new career as much, but he works 30-50 hours fewer per week and makes more than twice the amount of money. Overall, he is much happier because he now has both the time and money to pursue his other interests fully and his life is much more balanced.

 

I definitely don't love my job, but I think that might be more due to my personality. I just don't have the type of super intense interests or passions that some others do, so I'm not sure what full-time job I would love. I do know that I enjoy my current job much more when I'm able to work less than full-time.

[milovany]

I don't post much any more but this question really hit home.  I do two things for work and love both of of them. 

 

My first job is transcribing high school and college classes for hearing impaired students. Almost eight years ago I took a training course in this field (sponsored by our local university) and have been working ever since. I learned both a typing system that uses abbreviations for words as well how to "chunk" a speaker's words quickly (put the full meaning of what they're saying into grammatically correct sentences without a lot of superfluous words, false starts or repetitions). The result is a live meaning-for-meaning transcript that the student can read as they're sitting in class. I am continuously both amazed and challenged by the work that I do.  Not only do I get to help someone gain their education, but I get to sit in on a wide variety of really cool (and sometimes very difficult) classes, and I get paid good money to do it. I started off working on campus locally but five years ago started working solely from home.  I Skype into classrooms all over the country.  I live on the west coast of the USA and have a lot of work with schools on the east coast, so can work early and be done by 9-10 when I then start homeschooling the kids.

 

My second job is running a busy Airbnb unit in our hometown.  We've been doing this for just over a year and have been uber busy.  There are two main reasons for that -- one that just ended actually (so we'll see how we do now) and one that will continue (so hopefully that keeps the business coming in!).  It's more work than renting the apartment as a regular rental but the work is funner than processing applicants over and over and worrying about how they're caring for the place.  This way I'm in the apartment at least twice a week and if there are any problems, of which we've had none, we're not only covered by our insurance, but by Airbnb's as well.  The online reservation / listing system is awesome -- they handle all the money, including submitting the taxes to our city and state.  I really enjoy meeting people from all over. A lot of our guests are from the larger cities west and east from here in our state, but I've also had guests from Germany, Italy and Great Britain, as well as from numerous states and provinces as well. 

 

Neither of these things is an exact thing I imagined myself doing in years past, but both are in areas I've had an interest in previously.  I had a deaf cousin growing up and used to think about training to be an ASL interpreter (up to my early 20's).  And I've long said that maybe I'd own a (traditional) bed and breakfast some day but that never played out.  I didn't know anything about transcribing classes or running a vacation rental, but was ready when the opportunities presented themselves. 

 

Being able to think outside any preconceived/fixed boxes helped navigate the work world, after being a SAHM for 15+ years. Did you hear about the couple that founded a company in Vermont that sells and ships autumn leaves that they got free off the ground? They're doing well -- they sell packages of three preserved leaves for $19.95. There you go.  There's always something. 

Edited October 19, 2016 by milovany

[MomatHWTK]

DH will hopefully turn his hobby into a little income once he retires from his day job. He has a few post-retirement irons in the fire. 

 

I have just found my niche doing all the things I've enjoyed about various other jobs through the years. I now get to combine my creativity, natural skill set, and management skills all in one job. Plus, I am self-employed, so I'm the captain of the ship. I like that. : ) 

 

I tried having a craft business in the past. I enjoyed everything except for the fact that it wasn't profitable. I will probably give away a lot of unsold inventory from that experiment. But I enjoyed the hobby and learned some things. The main thing I learned is to not spend ahead of the proof. I know the items I created were of good quality and unique, but the market wasn't there. In another town or another time, things might have gone differently. But I invested in quality materials that outpaced my sales, and now I have leftover materials and product. For my current gig, I am much more realistic about paying for things as I go. I still reinvest in my business, but I invest with money I've already earned rather than accruing debt. 

 

The combination of skills DH and I have acquired through our previous jobs and continue to acquire through our hobbies are all things we can pass on to our children. I love that the things I learn now can be used to launch them toward doing something they love in the future. 

 

 

 

[Laura Corin]

I like being competent and I like learning.  My current job is fine, and something similar should take me through to retirement (67).  I don't love it, but I like that people can rely on me and that I'm appreciated.  I will probably change jobs within the organisation at some point (one of my colleagues is due to retire in a few years and she has said that I should apply for her job) to keep the learning going.

 

I don't know how I would feel if I were young and had a full working life ahead of me in this field.  That being said, I'm not unusual in having had several different strands of work over time.  The job/career for life is rarer these days.

 

Husband has never felt passionate about his work.  He is looking forward to some serious volunteering in an area of concern in retirement.  His freelance jobs are drying up, so that could come soon.

[nd293]

Dh loves what he does (electronic/ radio communication engineer), although right now he finds the work situation very frustrating. If he won a million he'd still work, he'd just be more picky about what work he took, and would be able to take the better jobs that pay less.

 

I enjoyed some of being a researcher, but it was the introvert stuff - writing, thinking, ideas, reading - working with manufacturers doing field research, hated, hated, hated.

 

I'm about to do 3 weeks of prac work in a public library. Looking forward to to it, but I think I'll ultimately end up in an academic or government library - that's where my academic background lies.

[Guest]

We have a joke in our family that if work was something we always loved they wouldn't have to pay us to do it ;)

 

I think balance needs to be had - every job has benefits and disadvantages, some more than others. There is value in finding how to excel at even menial jobs, but long term I think the best recipe for happiness is to find a way to pursue what you're passionate about, and if you cannot monetize it somehow, then use your day job as a means to an end to further your ability to do what is most important to you.

 

That's the gist behind a lot of early retirement folks - most people are still doing 'something' when retired and financially independent, but they've passed the point of holding a job or responsibilities that don't interest them for the sake of the paycheck. If you cannot reasonably match what you love to your need for income I think trying hard to get to a point where you don't actively need that income so badly should be THE goal. Get to where you can passively earn instead and follow what you really want to spend your time and energy on.

 

Too many people work jobs they hate AND don't or can't focus on a game plan to be free of that at some point. That's where I think there is much for eh average American to learn. Their dependence on actively earned income handicaps them at some point and many people can in fact structure their lives and habits in a way to free them from needing so much money to maintain good lives and therefore toil away their time (which is arguably a much more precious resource).

 

This probably means I've been reading too much Mr. Money Mustache. :D

[SparklyUnicorn]

I love what I do, but I don't really make money. 

 

DH likes what he does.  I would not say he loves it. 

 

I'm not much of a risk taker.  I definitely admire people who risk trying to earn a living doing what they love when it's not something that has a high chance of paying off (in a way that allows them to live on it).  I've always gone for doing what earns me more money when in a situation of having the choice.  Well except I suppose now.  So in a way I guess I've engaged in high risk to do what I enjoy because hell I don't even make any money doing it...LOL 

[regentrude]

.  Whenever I think about this question I try to think of it this way...if money suddenly became no object, like if we won $500 million in the lottery or something....would we keep working.  The answer is no...sort of.

 

Yes, that is a good way to phrase the question. If DH and I were suddenly independently wealthy, we could not imagine NOT continuing to work. Same is true for the vast majority of our friends.

[regentrude]

Working is for money to live. It can be dangerous for work to turn into ones reason for living.

 

Isn't the reverse equally true, i.e. isn't working just for the sake of money equally dangerous?

 

I find it quite normal that the things one cares most about are one's reasons for living, and I think people for whom one of these things is also what they do for a living are very blessed. Having meaningful work give purpose to life is much more fulfilling than working just for money to live on.

[The Girls' Mom]

I've tried several times to make money at what I love most: art.  I've had a photography business, a mural painting business, I've worked on commission, etc..  Each time I end up sad that I've chained my love to money.  I burn out, and then I don't even want to do the things I love doing.  

 

I've found, for me, it is best to find something I don't hate doing to make my money, but also something that I'm not as emotionally involved with.  I don't love office work.  I'm not passionate about accounting.  But they are both things I don't really mind doing daily to bring in money.  It doesn't stress me out nearly as badly as pouring my heart into a project and having it rejected or not appreciated.  

Now, while I do still sell my artwork, I sell pieces that I've already completed and found my own value in.  I don't do commissions, and I don't try to make a living wage from it.  It is still enjoyable for me that way.  

[Ottakee]

I like what I do but not love love love it and I certainly don't make great money.... substitute teacher for severely impaired students.

 

Dh's passion for working with boys and teens at risk doesn't pay much, if any. He works a job that allows him to do the other on the side. He really enjoys precision machining but in our area that means 60-70 hours a week non stop with one week vacation a year and low pay. We can't do that right now with having 5 kids with special needs at home.

[Ravin]

I love what I do and make money. I prioritize the former over the latter.

[kewb]

When I started in the corporate world I loved what I did. 18 years later when I resigned to homeschool I no longer loved it. I was working for the benefits. I still did my job and did it well but it was a grind. Now it is almost a decade later and I can look back on those final few years and realize I was part of the problem of my misery. I had totally checked out and was just going through the motions.

 

Now, I like what I do. I walk and play with a friends dog a few days a week. It gives me enough $$ to cover my daughters act tutor and gives me a nice break from taking care of my husband. I can see moving into pet sitting at my home once our curent dog passes away. He loves other dogs but I would not want to take the risk of having another dog in the house that wasn't mine.

 

Life is easier when you love what you do, however, it is still work and work is sometimes a chore. And there are days when you don't want to do it even when you love it. That is why it is called work and not play.

Edited October 19, 2016 by kewb

[DawnM]

Yes, DH and I are passionate about our jobs and chose them because we like doing them.

 

He is an Accountant for one of the Big 4 accounting firms and does International tax. 

 

I am a certified teacher and school counselor.  I am currently working as an ESL teacher full time.  I find it very rewarding AND is providing the necessary extra income to allow our kids to have more choice in their future college.

[Twolittleboys]

I liked both long term jobs I have had well enough but didn't/don't love either one. I used to be an auditor and that was pretty fun but also stressful with very long hours. It would not have been possible while taking care of small children. Now I do translations and I enjoy it for the most part but I have the paperwork and the fact that I have no set weekends/vacations. Also, I miss having other people to talk to. Both jobs are actually quite similar as they are interesting with different clients/themes etc. and quite a bit of personal freedom. I think those aspects are essential for me (I would hate having a repetitive job).

 

If I won the lottery I would stop working right away. I would still do stuff but it would be learning things, travelling, volunteer work etc. But I don't think this is because I don't have the right job. There is really no specific interest I have that I would love doing more than having free time to spend as I wish. Maybe something travel-related but even then I am not sure I would actually LOVE working. So for me it is more of a personality thing.

[FaithManor]

Over the years I have taught and science, substitute taught, music therapy, worked as a school academic/career counselor, completed research for a historical society, church music director, and professional pianist, and event planner/coordinator. Of all those hats, the only ones I did not enjoy were school adviser and church music director. That said, I believe that at a different church, I would have been fine. It was the particular situation and conflicts within that church.

[Joyofsixreboot]

My husband's job started as a way to meld interest and career but in the 34 years he's been practicing things have changed and at this point he's just waiting it out until retirement. I have merged my dietetics degree and yoga into a few small jobs but it's not a career. More of a charity service really 😀

[creekland]

Generally speaking, DH and I are work to live, not live to work people.  Whenever I think about this question I try to think of it this way...if money suddenly became no object, like if we won $500 million in the lottery or something....would we keep working.  The answer is no...sort of. 

 

Our answer is different than yours.  We would keep working, but our jobs would definitely change.  It wouldn't be because we don't like what we do now.  It would be because we like what we could do then (with oodles more money) better.  We'd shift to managing that amount of money (finance) while also running the non-profit we'd set up with it.  That non-profit would be organized to right as many of the world's wrongs as we could while still breaking even on the money so all "work" could continue on (rather than depleting the account and having to end).  It would definitely be a full time job for both of us.

 

We may have discussed this a bit in detail on those occasional times when the lottery is high and we buy a ticket. :coolgleamA:   We don't expect to win, of course.  We just enjoy dreaming about turning our real world into more of an ideal world as much as we can.

 

I can't imagine not working in some way or another, whether for income or not.

Edited October 19, 2016 by creekland

[Carol in Cal.]

When I was working in engineering, one of the things I loved about it was that I was making a living.  I felt like I had gone out into the world and sought my fortune, and found it, and established myself independently.  That felt so good.  I liked what I did, but I also liked (very much) the satisfaction of being self-sufficient.  At that time, that was still a bit iffy and adventurous for women, so it felt extra good.

 

I don't believe in working just for money but I also don't believe in refusing to work if you can't do your exact perfectest thing.  Everyone has to take care of business, I think, one way or another.  Sometimes that means sucking it up and dealing with a less than ideal job, and still being a good worker and grateful to have pay to live on.  Sometimes that means enabling someone else in the family to do so.  Sometimes that means taking the best possible care of your kids.  

 

At one point I seriously contemplated turning weaving, which I absolutely love, into a business.  I ran the numbers and decided that needing to live off it would ruin the fun of it for me.  I have never regretted that decision.  And lots of things are like that.

[Guest]

Here is what I'll say about that. If you do what you love, you can still get into a tight spot where external factors (boss/co-workers/economy/location/downsizing/hours/commute/whatever) are absolutely ruining you on the whole enterprise. And of course someone will say that you can just switch jobs, but it is well and truly not a matter of "just" switching jobs when you're three kids in etc etc etc

 

I've been thinking about this, because I am peering into the far, distant future (like five years :laugh: ) trying to see what I'll be doing for money, and the fact of the matter is that unless something horrific happens, rendering me the breadwinner in this family, I'm not going to do something I dislike. I just won't. And this is noteworthy, because the ONLY reason I can even consider approaching work with that attitude, is that DH has taken on the responsibility of providing for us whether he likes it or not.

 

It goes without saying that I have done likewise with the major raising of//complete educations of our children, but the fact of the matter is that I get to think about any job I might take on i a very different way than DH gets to.

 

So my answer to the OP questions, for me, is love. But I say that knowing without a doubt that it's absolutely not that simple most of the time.

 

And I'd encourage my kids to make a hard run at what they love before they have dependents!!

 

FTR DH does happen to like his job atm and he's very good at it, happily.

[fairfarmhand]

My dh is a civil engineer and really enjoys it. He loves solving problems. He works for a utility and implements solutions rather than simply advising them as he would if he were a consulting engineer. He works with dirt under the nails blue collar workers, which he loves. So much of enjoying a job is liking coworkers too.

 

Right now, I'm homeschooling something I never thought I'd do but I enjoy that. I'm a secretary for our church and I like that but it's as much about the pastors I support as anything.

 

I also write freelance part time. In the future I hope to get a communications degree so I can expand my capabilities and marketability in that arena. My dream job is managing the content for online home or kitchen goods store. Or for a cooking/ food site.

 

As far as money goes, as long as we're comfortable, able to pay bills and set aside money for fun hobbies ( farming) and the future, making more moneys not our prime goal.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited October 19, 2016 by fairfarmhand

[kroe1]

I work in an ER. Maybe it is love, maybe it is an addiction to the adrenaline, maybe it is hearing things people cannot even tell their own mothers, whatever. I get excited before a shift.

 

Homeschooling elementary was also fun. I was not very good in the upper grades and fired myself after 10th grade. But, I would start over if someone ever asked me.

[Scarlett]

Isn't the reverse equally true, i.e. isn't working just for the sake of money equally dangerous?

 

I find it quite normal that the things one cares most about are one's reasons for living, and I think people for whom one of these things is also what they do for a living are very blessed. Having meaningful work give purpose to life is much more fulfilling than working just for money to live on.

Sure. I totally agree. But balance is definitely required. I have seen too many people bury themselves in work and totally lose sight of other more important things and people.

[Wheres Toto]

I didn't love what I did when I worked full time, but most of the time I didn't hate it either.  I was good at it and if the people I worked for/with were pleasant, it was fine and paid well.

 

At this point, I do what I love as volunteer work.  I teach a 4-H STEM club and I teach Sunday School.  I also teach afterschool enrichment programs (robotics) but this is a very part time paid position.

 

Dh is a pharmaceutical chemist.  He always wanted to be a chemist from the time he was a tween and that's what he does.  He loves the work most of the time but I'm sure there are aspects to it he doesn't care for.

[Donna]

I think whether or not you can love your job has more to do with your attitude than the actual job.

 

Working is for money to live. It can be dangerous for work to turn into ones reason for living.

 

I think the first sentence above is very true. There can be so many ways to get enjoyment from your work even if it isn't something you love to do. Knowing people count on you, doing something to the best of your ability, getting things done, providing for yourself and/or your family, being part of a team, etc...

 

I was just thinking that I have always wanted my kids to find something they love and I think it is because I love my own work. Because my kids are involved in music (and folk music maybe more so I don't know for sure) we have possibly a disproportionate number of people in our lives who have found ways (often creative ways piecing together a number of things) to turn what they love doing into a profession. Some make a great living and others not as much but they are happy.

 

Then I thought about the adults I knew growing up, my parents' generation, and I think more of the people I knew worked to make a living, not necessarily even liking what they did (though maybe finding enjoyment in those other aspects).

 

So I was wondering if my experience was skewed. If I knew how to make a poll, it might have been interesting.

[Lady Florida.]

Dh used to love his job but so many things have changed. From people retiring to a new company taking over the contract he says it's just not the same. I fear he's just coasting until he can retire in another 2 years. I don't mean he doesn't do his best, but he just doesn't enjoy it like he used to. He occasionally gets pumped when all goes well with a launch (there's so much involved that a rocket can launch successfully but you never hear of all the problems leading up to it). Those times though, are few and far between.

 

I loved my job until the end, but I did what I always dreamed of doing for as long as I could remember - I was a teacher. That's all I ever remember wanting to "grow up to be". My intent was to go back once ds started school, but he was only 6 months old when we started considering homeschool.

[Guest]

I work in an ER. Maybe it is love, maybe it is an addiction to the adrenaline, maybe it is hearing things people cannot even tell their own mothers, whatever. I get excited before a shift.

 

Homeschooling elementary was also fun. I was not very good in the upper grades and fired myself after 10th grade. But, I would start over if someone ever asked me.

I've heard one has to be an adrenaline junkie to be good, long term, in a high pressure/high stress medical situation like an ER and not burn out. I don't think you're that anomalous among the medical professionals I know. Those who like things slower paced do research, office practice, or clinics :) Edited October 19, 2016 by Arctic Mama

[Mrs.Wilson]

I've always loved animals, wanted to be a teacher, and maybe write children's stories.  I grew up to be a homeschooling mom and farm wife.  I don't get paid, but I love what I do.

 

My husband likes helping people, especially in customer service.  He also loves computers.  So, when he got his current job as an IT tech you would think he'd be ecstatic, but instead of helping people with their problems he's supposed to just document it.  It drives him crazy.  His real passion is science and history.  He's always being told he should be a teacher.  lol I don't think he has the patience to deal with unruly children, though.

[6packofun]

I chose pet sitting because I have a passion for animals. I actually went to undergrad school with a pre vet concentration but by junior year, even before meeting dh, I knew I didn't want to be a veterinarian because I wanted to be a SAHM once I had kids. So even though I had the grade for vet school and am passionate about animals I chose a path I'm more passionate about and keep animal care as a way to also keep my passion for animals fed.

 

 

How interesting!  I lasted about 2 quarters at college in Pre-Vet after meeting my dh for the same reason.  :)

[mommyoffive]

I don't post much any more but this question really hit home.  I do two things for work and love both of of them. 

 

My first job is transcribing high school and college classes for hearing impaired students. Almost eight years ago I took a training course in this field (sponsored by our local university) and have been working ever since. I learned both a typing system that uses abbreviations for words as well how to "chunk" a speaker's words quickly (put the full meaning of what they're saying into grammatically correct sentences without a lot of superfluous words, false starts or repetitions). The result is a live meaning-for-meaning transcript that the student can read as they're sitting in class. I am continuously both amazed and challenged by the work that I do.  Not only do I get to help someone gain their education, but I get to sit in on a wide variety of really cool (and sometimes very difficult) classes, and I get paid good money to do it. I started off working on campus locally but five years ago started working solely from home.  I Skype into classrooms all over the country.  I live on the west coast of the USA and have a lot of work with schools on the east coast, so can work early and be done by 9-10 when I then start homeschooling the kids.

 

My second job is running a busy Airbnb unit in our hometown.  We've been doing this for just over a year and have been uber busy.  There are two main reasons for that -- one that just ended actually (so we'll see how we do now) and one that will continue (so hopefully that keeps the business coming in!).  It's more work than renting the apartment as a regular rental but the work is funner than processing applicants over and over and worrying about how they're caring for the place.  This way I'm in the apartment at least twice a week and if there are any problems, of which we've had none, we're not only covered by our insurance, but by Airbnb's as well.  The online reservation / listing system is awesome -- they handle all the money, including submitting the taxes to our city and state.  I really enjoy meeting people from all over. A lot of our guests are from the larger cities west and east from here in our state, but I've also had guests from Germany, Italy and Great Britain, as well as from numerous states and provinces as well. 

 

Neither of these things is an exact thing I imagined myself doing in years past, but both are in areas I've had an interest in previously.  I had a deaf cousin growing up and used to think about training to be an ASL interpreter (up to my early 20's).  And I've long said that maybe I'd own a (traditional) bed and breakfast some day but that never played out.  I didn't know anything about transcribing classes or running a vacation rental, but was ready when the opportunities presented themselves. 

 

Being able to think outside any preconceived/fixed boxes helped navigate the work world, after being a SAHM for 15+ years. Did you hear about the couple that founded a company in Vermont that sells and ships autumn leaves that they got free off the ground? They're doing well -- they sell packages of three preserved leaves for $19.95. There you go.  There's always something. 

 

Wow both of the things you do sound so neat. 

I would love to know more about the transcribing course you took.  What was the course specifically? 

 

I looked at the leaf selling site.  Such a great idea!  Showed that to the kids!

He even has another one where he sells snow!

[nevergiveup]

I think whether or not you can love your job has more to do with your attitude than the actual job.

 

 

Either I have had a lot of really crappy jobs or I just generally disagree with this... :sleep:

Worked for awhile as a hostess at a Greek restaurant where the owner would belittle the workers very loudly in front of customers.

Worked as a temp adding credit card statements (sitting at an adding machine for 8 hours typing in numbers as fast as I could).

Worked at a research farm picking through moldy soy bean samples separating out and counting the  different bugs in each sample.

Working at same research farm sampling soybeans in 90 degree heat and 90% humidity, having to kneel between rows for each sample.

My list could continue but you get the point.

[Tap]

I work in pharmacy.  My job landed in my lap and I trained on the job.  It is a decent fit for me, but if I could retire, I would do so in a heart beat.  I work for a paycheck. My company has changed hands a few times over the years and the last buyout we had drove us into the ground. People are jumping ship left and right, and no new hires are coming on, so we run very, very short handed.....which is very dangerous in our field.  It is a horrible feeling knowing that it is inevitable that a patient is going to get hurt, based solely on our current owners greed (low wages, poor benefits=no employees).  My coworkers and I are all really good friends, so I don't mind going to work, but it is very high, very negative stress and very little positive emotional benefit. 

[Scarlett]

Either I have had a lot of really crappy jobs or I just generally disagree with this... :sleep:

Worked for awhile as a hostess at a Greek restaurant where the owner would belittle the workers very loudly in front of customers.

Worked as a temp adding credit card statements (sitting at an adding machine for 8 hours typing in numbers as fast as I could).

Worked at a research farm picking through moldy soy bean samples separating out and counting the different bugs in each sample.

Working at same research farm sampling soybeans in 90 degree heat and 90% humidity, having to kneel between rows for each sample.

My list could continue but you get the point.

:(. I have had some bad jobs too.

 

But mostly I have had ok jobs which I looked for the good in.

[milovany]

Wow both of the things you do sound so neat. 

I would love to know more about the transcribing course you took.  What was the course specifically? 

 

I looked at the leaf selling site.  Such a great idea!  Showed that to the kids!

He even has another one where he sells snow!

 

I trained in TypeWell (which is easily dot-com'ed), one of two main speech-to-text softwares out there.  The other is called C*Print, but one wouldn't want to choose that one, given the choice.  TypeWell is better if the goal is to do remote eventually.  The thing is, you can't just do the training on your own.  You have to be sponsored by a school or agency that will then put you to work.  You also have to do 50 hours of onsite work, once qualified, before you can do remote work.  So it's not an easy field to get into, but not an impossible one, either. 

[Jenny in Florida]

My husband is definitely in the "work to live" camp. He likes where he works and takes pride in doing his job well and being recognized and rewarded for it, but it's not any kind of "passion." It's just something he's good at and that pays a decent salary.

 

I was very unhappy in my pre-kids career (editing/technical writing). I was very good at what I did, and it was pretty much what I assumed would be my path, but I found it tedious to the point of tears pretty much on a daily basis. 

 

I loved homeschooling. I mean, I didn't love every minute or even most of every day, but I felt deeply certain that what I was doing was important, and I found it absorbing and challenging. And the highs definitely more than balanced out the frustrations. 

 

Now that I've been made obsolete by having graduated both of my kids, I'm working on developing an encore career. I've been exploring different ways to indulge my passion for education in non-traditional ways. After a couple of years of false starts and dead-ends, I feel like I am well positioned to make something like a living wage doing something I care about and enjoy. I will likely never make as much as I did in my pre-kids job, let alone come close to matching my husband's salary, but I am perfectly content to make that compromise in order to like what I do.

 

My current job is not something I would have thought to aim for; it's pretty specific to this particular place. However, people who know me well generally have a kind of "Well, duh" reaction when I try to explain why I like it. I work in a library (one of my favorite places on Earth) teaching a broad range of classes (remember how I said I've always loved education?) to a diverse audience (which appeals strongly to my need-to-be-needed).

 

In terms of whether we would continue to work if we didn't need to do so, my husband and I have somewhat different answers. He would quit his current job but probably find something else to do. I would likely continue to teach something to someone, even if it were on a volunteer basis, although I might be more selective about what and when.

 

We've had many discussions with our kids about the differences between the work-to-live and live-to-work approaches and strongly encouraged them to work towards careers they love.

Edited October 20, 2016 by Jenny in Florida

[ErinE]

I love to dance. I enjoy teaching dance. I've thought often about owning a dance studio. I've run the numbers. The investment required would not bring me enough utility (in the economic sense) to outweigh the financial and emotional costs. I know myself. Doing what I love for money would kill my joy for it.

 

I calculate numbers for a living. Do I love it? I get satisfaction from the idea that there are projects all over the United where I played a small role in bringing them into operation. I think that's good enough for me.

[G5052]

I worked in scientific research and program management for 15 years before kids. That paid well, I liked it, but the hours were horrible. My last job required a tough commute even by commuter bus, and the hours were often from 6am-6pm or later. When I neared the end of my pregnancy with DS, I knew that I couldn't go back. As it turned out, my position was eliminated while I was on maternity leave, and that was that. 

 

Prior to having children, I periodically taught seminars and courses, and I loved that. DH and I are older, and I didn't want to completely leave the workplace in case he became disabled or had to retire early. So I became an adjunct professor, and then later added local homeschool classes so that I could afford classes at the same location for my children. A college mentor got me into teaching online 10 years ago when that was just starting. Over the years I had to add to my work because of ongoing medical bills/

Now with just a 12th grader, I work full-time teaching online for two different schools. It works well for our family schedule, and I enjoy my work. Periodically I also get writing and course development contracts. I make about what a beginning teacher makes, but no commute, no special clothes, and very minimal supplies. 

 

I would have never, ever expected to be an online teacher. My initial plan after college was Silicon Valley, and here I am. And indeed, in January I'll be the breadwinner. DH is retiring for medical reasons, and that wouldn't be possible if I wasn't working. I'm just glad that we had to foresight to figure out ways for me to work and homeschool early on. I like my work so much that I can see doing it well into my 60's or beyond.

[Carol in Cal.]

I worked in scientific research and program management for 15 years before kids. That paid well, I liked it, but the hours were horrible. My last job required a tough commute even by commuter bus, and the hours were often from 6am-6pm or later. When I neared the end of my pregnancy with DS, I knew that I couldn't go back. As it turned out, my position was eliminated while I was on maternity leave, and that was that. 

 

Prior to having children, I periodically taught seminars and courses, and I loved that. DH and I are older, and I didn't want to completely leave the workplace in case he became disabled or had to retire early. So I became an adjunct professor, and then later added local homeschool classes so that I could afford classes at the same location for my children. A college mentor got me into teaching online 10 years ago when that was just starting. Over the years I had to add to my work because of ongoing medical bills/

Now with just a 12th grader, I work full-time teaching online for two different schools. It works well for our family schedule, and I enjoy my work. Periodically I also get writing and course development contracts. I make about what a beginning teacher makes, but no commute, no special clothes, and very minimal supplies. 

 

I would have never, ever expected to be an online teacher. My initial plan after college was Silicon Valley, and here I am. And indeed, in January I'll be the breadwinner. DH is retiring for medical reasons, and that wouldn't be possible if I wasn't working. I'm just glad that we had to foresight to figure out ways for me to work and homeschool early on. I like my work so much that I can see doing it well into my 60's or beyond.

I'm in Silicon Valley--what do you teach?

Have you considered being an Ocean Grove charter teacher?  I can give you the inside scoop if you're looking for something more permanent.

[Bluegoat]

My dh likes what he does quite a bit, he's an atmospheric chemist and is really interested in it and things it is valuble.  He finds the more political/administrative side annoying at times.  He also has many other interests though and I suspect he would quickly retire if he could to have more time to devote to them.  I could easily see him carrying on with work in a part time or contract position though, I know there are places he would be interested in working that just don't have enough funding to pay him.

 

I'm a SAHM now and do childcare.  I like it though I might not do childcare if I was really flush - it would make homeschooling simpler.  In the past I've had jobs I enjoyed but I don't know that they were passions.  One job I really liked as a younger person was working as a hotdog vendor - not because of the job so much as the conditions - the bosses were nice, I was able to sit all day next to the harbor, and I pretty much supervised myself.  I worked in a museum in the school loans department - aspects of that job could be tedious, but it was varied, the people I worked with were very nice and interesting, and it was just a nice environment all round.  I left that job mainly because I needed full-time work, preferably better paid.  I enjoyed aspects of the army, there was always something new to learn and the work was really interesting.  It had downsides too though, it pushed me out of my comfort zone a lot which could be tiring rather than stimulating, and the administrative stuff could be frustrating.

 

I think there is something to be said for work that you can leave at the end of the day and gives room for other interests.  I think though that in any case, it has to be work that people see as worthwhile - even if it is just cleaning.  And people need to feel respected in their role.

Edited October 20, 2016 by Bluegoat

[StephanieZ]

I think the best way to approach this question is summed up by a really cool image I saw somewhere.

 

I talk about this regularly with my kids. Choose a career that: you are good at, that you enjoy, that does meaningful things for the world, and that pays well. If you can find one that is HARD (for most people) but that you are UNIQUELY good at, then it tends to pay better. In our family, this tends to mean that there is a lean towards engineering/math/science/computers since those areas come easily to my kids but are hard for many (and thus pay well). 

 

Dh's work represents this, and 20 years into this career, and he is still happy with his choice and "likes his job" as per his answer to my query a few days ago. He does good things for people and pets (work the world needs). He gets paid well. He is good at it. He loves it. It's a great career for him.

 

My own work is very limited (top level management of his business -- pretty much the stuff that our employed office manager can't do), but I'd say the same thing for my work, too. 

 

FWIW, one aspect this image does NOT cover that I think is important . . . People tend to be happier when they have CONTROL over their daily lives/work. So, I personally think that it's generally more satisfying/enjoyable to have a sort of work where you have a lot of autonomy/control. This is not universally true, but I think considering your personality and the level of autonomy/control in a role is significant for many people.

 

 

 

[mommyoffive]

I trained in TypeWell (which is easily dot-com'ed), one of two main speech-to-text softwares out there.  The other is called C*Print, but one wouldn't want to choose that one, given the choice.  TypeWell is better if the goal is to do remote eventually.  The thing is, you can't just do the training on your own.  You have to be sponsored by a school or agency that will then put you to work.  You also have to do 50 hours of onsite work, once qualified, before you can do remote work.  So it's not an easy field to get into, but not an impossible one, either. 

 

Thanks for that info.  I want to look into it just because I have never heard of it.