Career choice stress

[Rick]

This is going to be a little more serious than my usual posts. And I'm sure I won't be the only one who knows what this feels like. I'm 24 and I've been working with vinyl for a few years and enjoying it. However I'm just starting to question if I really want to stay with this for the rest of my life. Not to mention how different will the technology change in the future. This comment made me laugh out loud, back in the day, it was a brush and a can of paint, imagine the changes we had to go through Its no secret this is a bad time in the economy for a young guy to be an entrepreuner. From what I have read, it's a great time to be an entrepreuner. And it seems like in this business you're only as good as what you've got in production right now... I don't really know what direction I want to go (although fire & rescue is a possibility) but I was just hoping some of you with a lot more job and life experience could give me some words of wisdom. Would you do it all over again? Would you start the same way in todays economic climate?

It's like that line in City Slickers... but instead of it being the secret to life, it's the secret to a career. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k1uOqRb0HU)

Vinyl is not signage, it may be that after a few years of playing with vinyl, it's not as satisfying to you... there is more to signage than vinyl.

I have 4 boys. One a few years younger than you, my advice to him...

In work, find what you are passionate about. Learn it, stick to it, smash through limitations (they usually only exist in your mind) find a way to make a living at it, advance farther than your mind allows you to, you are more capable than you think.

It's okay if you don't know what to do for a career, just pick a direction and do it really well until you do find it.

 

[James Burke]

This was filmed back in 2005, and just about sums up the whole matter:

http://www.ted.com/talks/steve_jobs_how_to_live_before_you_die.html

 

[HulkSmash]

This was filmed back in 2005, and just about sums up the whole matter:

http://www.ted.com/talks/steve_jobs_how_to_live_before_you_die.html

good video.

 

[Dentafrice]

I'm probably one of the youngest ones here at age eighteen, I don't have a lot of experience in life like a lot of you guys... but I may have just a little bit of advice...

In my short life, I've learned that no matter what... if you love doing something, that's all that matters.

I've seen many people, rich in money, not be rich in life at their job. They hate it.

If you don't love what you do... don't do it. But if you have a dream, and if you love doing that dream, go for it. Do it.

If you love it, hard work will not matter. Countless hours will not matter.

But if you can't dedicate your all to it, find something else. There's something out there that would get all of your attention, and that's what you should be doing.

 

[Dentafrice]

Oh yeah, the post above doesn't mean if you love to sing, and you can't sing... don't keep singing! That's what got American Idol started, haha.

 

[OldPaint]

iam with rick, vinyl is not signage. its what it is, cuttin weeding and stickin stuff. being from the other end, an artist of sorts and a BRUSH SIGN PAINTER,vinyl is not the same. i started doing art/signs back when pencils and pads was the norm.i was 12-13 and knew a sign painter who saw in me, potential at the trade.he taught me and was the only teacher at this i ever had. back then you DREW graphics. the better artist you were the better your graphics. i watch a sign painter when i was that young do a total reproduction of a MURIEL CIGAR LOGO on a van, and the one he used to copy it was on the lid of a cigar box. then he painted it to match. now that got me hooked. but i never pursued a career at this till i was 42!!!! got outa high school was an A+ student at mechanical drawing. it was a required course in 8th grade, and i took it as an elective 9-12!!!! after graduating went to school for drafting 2 years, and got a draft notice to which i responded by joining the AIR FORCE! in basic they asked what i wanted to do, i said PARA-MEDIC, so they gave me a FUEL TRUCK to gas airplanes instead. i got married while in the service, got an early out and went back home with bride to work in the steel mill. i hated it so bad, i worked a steady midnight shift, 11-7 am. bunch of life stuff happened, dad died, mom hada heart attack, wife left me went back to maine, so i quite the steel mill moved back to maine and worked as a draftsman. in maine you can build anything nov-march!!! so i worked in a NAPA parts store which the same guy i worked as a draftsman, owned. i wound up as a n outside salesman which i did from caribou maine to sarasota fl for 15 years. 1986, i got fired by a 21 year old......told me i was incompetent!!!! i looked at him and said i got more years WORKIN THEN YOU LIVED.....and you dont have the qualifations to say that about me. at that point i had had it workin for people who was dumber then me......and i picked up my brushes & paint.....and went looking for sign work as a self employed business owner!!!! never looked back. should done it years earlier. now at 66........ and seeing where this wonderful trade that required something more then most have to be in it.......turn into PRINTSHOPS, iam glad i can now move on to making POTTERY AS MY NEW LINE OF WORK/ENJOYMENT!!!!! notice i said WORK..ENJOYMENT........... if you dont have those together in where you spend 8-12 hours a day...........you need to find out what it is that gives you that.

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

Here are a couple of resources for you to consider

http://www.amazon.com/What-Love-Money-Will-Follow/dp/0440501601

http://www.amazon.com/Work-Passion-What-Love-Living/dp/1577314441

 

[Speedsterbeast]

That Steve Jobs speech is wonderful.
The fact that all fear of failure, pride etc fall away in the face of death is so inspiring.

The loss of my father last year at the age of 66 is what motivated me to start living my life my way and start my business. It was such a wake up call that life is short that it has made my life easier to live and take the bad things in stride.

My advice is to take the word retirement out of your vocabulary. If you find something that makes you look forward to tomorrow every day, who cares if you have to do it beyond 55 or 65? Whatever it is that makes you feel this way may change over time, but keep changing with it.

Also try and enjoy having enough and not wanting more all the time. If you always want more then you will never be satisfied. If you have enough then congratulations, you are already wealthy. This is important becasue if you don't want for the shiney things in life your options to earn a living doing something you love are multiplied exponentually.

 

[HulkSmash]

My advice is to take the word retirement out of your vocabulary. If you find something that makes you look forward to tomorrow every day, who cares if you have to do it beyond 55 or 65? Whatever it is that makes you feel this way may change over time, but keep changing with it.

Why would i want to not think about retirement? My dad was able to retire at 58, and i would LOVE to follow in those steps. That's my Goal.. retire early. If you can do it why not?

 

[Locals Find!]

Why would i want to not think about retirement? My dad was able to retire at 58, and i would LOVE to follow in those steps. That's my Goal.. retire early. If you can do it why not?

I think the point he was trying to make is the goal should be to enjoy life to its fullest by choosing a career that you never want to quit doing. Rather than just punching a clock till your 58 or 65 and then watching old matlock re-runs till your $hitting in your pants and drop dead of boredom.

 

[mark galoob]

dude, my advise to you is
1. travel the united states
2. travel the world
3. meet and love MANY women or men if thats what you are into...
4. DONT have kids till your 30...dont get married till then either


you are still young and have no obligations...as soon as you start getting married, kids etc etc etc, you will have no choice but to work at something you might not like...

mark galoob

 

[Pat Whatley]

Find something you love, figure out how to make money with it, and use that money to live a life you can look back on. Leave the house, expand your horizons, try new things, eat different foods. Don't wait, do it now. It will never be easier. Don't say you don't have the time or the money....you'll never have the time or the money. Find a way to do it anyway.

Don't be one of the majority of people who live their entire lives within 25 miles of where they were born.

Do something epic, anything, take some chances while you're young and can still heal quickly.

Wear condoms.

 

[OldPaint]

whats a condom???? i did the 1st part of marks post #3........and i dont regrete any of it))))))))))))))))if i woulda had more stamina............hahahahahahahha

 

[Smacka]

Life is too short to go to a job every day that you hate. You will be much happier if you do something that inspires you daily.

 

[btropical.com]

dude, my advise to you is
1. travel the united states
2. travel the world
3. meet and love MANY women or men if thats what you are into...
4. DONT have kids till your 30...dont get married till then either


you are still young and have no obligations...as soon as you start getting married, kids etc etc etc, you will have no choice but to work at something you might not like...

mark galoob

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VXy4Z6IkWQ

 

[routierracing]

Since everyone gave me good advice and encouragement (and a few laughs lol) I thought I would give you all an update on how I'm doing. I'm feeling a heck of a lot better. I am working as a volunteer fireman and still doing signs full time. I am signed up to take firefighter I & II in Jan. Its going to be very competitive to get a full time job but I have a stable job in the meantime. The great thing is once I do get hired 24 on 48 off.. I will have plenty of time to work with signs during that 48 off.

 

[SignManiac]

Go skydiving tomorrow. It will give you a different perspective on life.

 

[Sticky Signs]

You could come work for me. I'll let you play with vinyl and when your done, I'll let you put out my cigarettes. That should satisfy all your desires. LOL
Good for you about the Fire Dept. My old man was a firefighter. I almost followed in his foot steps until I hit a road block. I wear glasses and the fire dept would never pick me considering they've got a huge line up of people waiting to get in that don't have "problems".
Whatever you choose to do, make sure you give it 110% and try to be the best there is. The rest will follow.
Best of luck to you.

 

[signswi]

Just want to repeat that down economies are the very best time to be an entrepreneur. Access to venture capital is limited but your dollar buys so much more. Many of the businesses (empires) we consider "blue chip" started in down economies.

p.s. Working with vinyl is not a career. Signage is a career but one specific (ancient, at this point) skill does not a career make. If you like signage (do you?) then you need to get to the cutting edge of the industry and stop playing around with something you can train a 16 year old to do for minimum wage without much effort.*



*incoming flames

 

[Jillbeans]

I would say to get a real job.
Or get one with a huge large-format sign shop which offers benefits, if such a thing exists.
If you really love making signs, do it in your spare time while bringing in a steady paycheck.
Or learn web design and still do that on the side.
The way things have been going for the last twenty years, there is very little future in doing traditional signs.
Even if you create a niche market and blah blah blah.
Signs, as I knew them when starting out 26 years ago, are dead.
I am 49 and have no health benefits and no retirement fund.
I live hand-to-mouth and I had to get a part time job three months ago.
The writing is on the wall.
You're still young enough to learn a viable trade.
Love....Jill