OT: If you weren't doing what you're doing, then what would you do next? [Archive]

fuzzalow

09-21-2016, 09:59 AM

This topic is a spin-off from a comment made by Mara Abbott in her announcement of retirement from competitive racing:
"I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do next," Abbott said. "And when I say I have absolutely no idea, I mean I have absolutely no idea."Those words struck like a lightning bolt of high-voltage reality: What next?

I think it is unavoidable that over the course of a career, specialized skills within a chosen, or unchosen for that matter, field or profession make their way into part of who we are as much as doing that work is an outgrowth of who we are. After all, most people tend to do work and be interested in things they think they are good at doing.

But given either the free choice or the forced circumstance, if you had to walk away from what you do, then what would you do next? Understanding also that where you are in life might dictate your decision: Responsibilities might change the mix between what you WANT TO DO versus WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.

I'll start by answering the question: I have no idea! But at this stage in life I think I have a greater interest and desire to do something good rather than to chase money and ambition. I earned a JD all those years ago, maybe I'd put that to use for a good cause.

deechee

09-21-2016, 10:58 AM

You have a law degree you're not using?

For me, plan B would mean being outside of tech but it encompasses a lot. Sitting at a desk all day gets boring really quickly.

Teaching would probably be something I would look into (my parents were both teachers/professors and I am now a dad) but in all honesty, not sure if I would be happy with the pay difference.

Mzilliox

09-21-2016, 11:03 AM

johnniecakes

09-21-2016, 11:07 AM

I have been an engineer since 1978, as I approach retirement I ponder this question a lot. I am thinking about a low key part time job where I get to interact with many people short term. Some along the lines of a receptionist, driver, delivery guy, just something to keep me busy a few hours a day

christian

09-21-2016, 11:13 AM

I've been:

a management consultant
a journalist
a professional rally co-driver
a risk/control/compliance officer at various financial institutions

Of those four, I liked journalism best as a craft, but the constant push for advertorials and web content and the pay made it less than ideal as a job. On balance, being a control officer at a financial institution has been a great job - interesting problems, good co-workers, fair compensation. If I left my job today, I'd get a similar job somewhere else tomorrow. And I ride my bike a lot during garden leave. LOL.

ripvanrando

09-21-2016, 11:18 AM

As one who has worked to live rather than lived to work, it has been easy. Just ride.

sparky33

09-21-2016, 11:19 AM

plan B would mean being outside of tech but it encompasses a lot. Sitting at a desk all day gets boring really quickly.

same here.

I've been at a small software company for 15 years for a lot of good reasons. My tech skills are niche to say the least. Leaving software/finance would be alright. I can imagine a change in the coming years.

To be honest, I try not to think too hard about the next thing. Many of my pals did not deliberately plan their mature professional life. Rather, they found good opportunities along the way and decided to make the leap.

Kirk007

09-21-2016, 11:47 AM

Scuba dive guide on a boat in Kona. Grow some coffee beans on a little patch in Holualoa and ride my bike down the hill and back to the dive shop.

I gave up using my JD chasing money in 2002 in order to try and save the world, which I still believe is worth saving but humanity doesn't seem to agree and playing the role of sisyphus has gotten tiresome and demoralizing.

Ralph

09-21-2016, 11:56 AM

I retired in 1998 at age 57 from a major (actually THE) Wall Street Brokerage Firm. I had a 25 year career helping wealthy folks manage their financial assets, plan for retirement, tax planning, etc. I made my money from a percentage of their assets.

Toward the end.....just couldn't take the kind of business I had to do to make money for myself. So retired. Thankfully....had enough assets for myself at that time to do so.

Had a few part time jobs....but never really found anything fulfilling to do. Now wish I had stayed in my profession a few more years....but maybe found a way to be compensated differently. Too late now. Been retired almost 18 years, and mostly just either ride my bike or go to Planet Fitness every day. Yard work all farmed out. Volunteer work just not fulfilling to me.....think you get taken advantage of. Traveled everywhere I ever wanted to go....several times. So done that. I'm fine now at age 75, healthy, etc....but could have done it better.

Would suggest you find a way to stay in your field of expertise....or what you like to do and are good at.....just maybe in a different way. Being properly compensated for what you are good at is part of the satisfaction you get from life. I think.

rePhil

09-21-2016, 12:04 PM

When I was "retired" from the best job I could have ever dreamed of I ended up spending a dozen years at a special needs school. We had some of the most medically and emotionally fragile children in the state.
At times I felt like I was giving back a tiny portion to a world that has given me so much.

Zoodles

09-21-2016, 12:09 PM

I left tech for the the trades and it was great. That career was interrupted to be at home with the kids when they're young (no I do not have unlimited riding time) so my wife could chase a career she loves.

I've since added a related graduate degree and now work PT contracts as a consultant but find myself wanting to be outdoors instead of at a desk, that may be trades or something sports related, however, as a friend once said...I keep adding part time this and part time that until I've got no time to do anything else.

dustyrider

09-21-2016, 12:11 PM

I do what I love.
Always have and always will.
Yes, I put up with a lot of things I don't love, but because I make enough money to live while doing what I love, the things I don't love have very little impact on me.
I think of it as compartmentalizing.

If someone came to me today and said I couldn't do what I'm doing right now, I'd go somewhere else where I could.

This city is only a small part of the state, and this state is only a small part of the USA, and the USA is only a small part of the world.

Eventually I'll become tired of doing what I love, and I'll find something else that I love to do.
Random ideas:
Get my pilots license, buy a sea plane and live on an island while chartering my services out.
Buy a sprinter and drive the Pan American highway from north to south while I live in places that excite me.
Settle down in a south east Asian country and live hand to mouth for the rest of my life.
Travel to England and buy a motorcycle to cross Europe and Russia.
Volunteer with children in some form either sports or education(will always do this).
Live on a sail boat and sail around North and South America, then cross the pacific and sail around Asia and Africa.
Buy a small business and work on small engines, start a ceramic studio in my free time and be known as the Ceramic Mechanic.
Buy more properties and use the income from rentals to purchase a large chunk of land to build a tiny house on and live my days out in blissful solitude...you know just a few of the ideas I've got running around in my head.

shovelhd

09-21-2016, 12:30 PM

Geeheeb

09-21-2016, 12:47 PM

A few years ago I was a linux sysadmin, and I would have said I want to go to nursing school.

I'm almost through nursing school now and I'm pretty sure its what I want to do.

However, health IT is terrible in practice, and I see a lot I could do to make it easier for nurses so I may head back behind the terminal someday.

phutterman

09-21-2016, 01:12 PM

I'm more or less a sysadmin now, and don't really want to be. I fell into it (it's not my background at all) and am not particularly happy in the tech world, especially not in the Bay Area.

But the money's good, and the work/life balance where I am is pretty good, so the resulting ability to ride/travel/race a lot is great. But I'm not contributing to anything I think really matters, and moving companies recently shows that part of my problem with my old job were specific to the company, but part of it was just not really wanting to do this kind of work forever (and not being particularly motivated to get any better at it).

I feel kind of pulled in opposite directions of learning a trade and working with my hands more again, or heading in a more academic direction and picking back up with what I'd been trying to do before my accidental technology career.

makoti

09-21-2016, 01:24 PM

I had to ask myself this 11 years ago. Ended up somewhere I never thought I'd be. Of course, never thought I'd be doing what I was doing, either. Went from Flight Attendant to MRI tech, a very common career path. ;) . If there is a next, it should be part time in retirement. No clue what I'd do.

cmbicycles

09-21-2016, 01:30 PM

I left the jack-of-all-trades career hopping (mechanic/welder/fabricator/sales/retail manager/bike shop) and became a music teacher, the pay & benefits are certainly livable, the kids are inner city elementary which is a fun challenge and never the same, but I enjoy what I do and find it rewarding. If I got to work with just the kids it would be great, its the "adults" that tend to make things more complicated.

If I weren't teaching, I'd do something with my hands again. Probably welding or similar as I enjoyed learning/practicing that skill set just a tad more than metal fabrication.

witcombusa

09-21-2016, 03:45 PM

Something else

But retirement sounds like the best choice... :beer:

Joel

09-21-2016, 03:49 PM

Interesting topic. Here's my view.

32 years in corporate America. Last 18 at one company. VP level. As time wore on, spending more time managing political situations than doing my craft.

3 years ago company implodes. Laid off for first time at 53.

Retired for 3 months. Can only ride the bike so much. Explored academics, teaching at university level. Not as much fun as I thought it would be.

Tripped into consulting. Hung out a shingle doing my craft - Consumer Insights and Brand Strategy. One client, just for fun and to keep my mind active.

Have gotten very lucky and have had quite a few major corporations knocking on my door.

Now at 56, doing what I enjoy as a craft, for nice people I like to work with, all over the world. (And not enough time to ride some days).

Funny how it all works out sometimes in the weirdest ways...

giverdada

09-21-2016, 10:53 PM

youngish enough and insecure industry enough to think about this about twice every year, at the end of the school year and at the beginning. always figure i'd just go back to manual labour somewhere and have something to show for my efforts at the end of the day. ideally, though, i'd get tech qualifications and write curriculum for high school that were based entirely on bicycles. welding for bicycles. CAD for bicycles. ad copy for bicycles. how to photograph bicycles. math for bicycles. materials design. chemistry for compounds. physics. everything..about bicycles. take the course, leave with a frame you made. you're a 16-year-old framebuilder. awesome.

or i'd write books and drink a lot of coffee.

kppolich

09-21-2016, 11:16 PM

Finally buy that Sprinter Van and hit the open road, bikes and all.

ORMojo

09-21-2016, 11:37 PM

Although I have a very good and fortunate life, and want for nothing (except my daughter - can't make the former statement without that overwhelming caveat), what work I do sometimes keeps me away from home & family too much in one stretch. As in now - last week in Charleston, then unexpectedly spending almost all this week in Portland, and fly to Seattle early Monday for three days . . . .and just about 6 hours ago was "invited" to address a one-day gathering in D.C. next Thursday, so my flight out of Seattle no longer returns me home, but rather back to the east coast for less than 48 hours. Ugh. (And, since a couple of my bike sales here are in progress, it is messing with my ability to ship in a timely manner...sorry!)

Anyway, back on topic, I would switch to something that keeps me home much more, and outdoors much more. Interestingly, over the past 6 months I have been the general contractor for 7 (or is it 8?!) contractors working to completely redo our yard - I mean scrape one-third acre completely bare and start over. It has been an awesome process, and now, within weeks of completion, an awesome result is within sight. But my wife has correctly said "what are you going to do when it is done, you will miss it."

Here's the thing - completely unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago the main landscape contractor asked if I would ever consider working for them. I thought they were kidding. They weren't.

My wife (and maybe me, although I wouldn't admit it!) was worried that I had been too present throughout the process (daily interactions, even while on the road, and keep in mind when I'm not on the road I'm working from home). And when the landscaper told us recently that they had never had a client like us, that concern was the first thing that came to mind. But, just the opposite, they were surprised and pleased by the combination of business sense, design sense, and gardening knowledge.

I've gardened since I was a very little kid. My first paying job was helping the elderly couple next door, who were certified master gardeners, with maintaining their magnificent landscape as the years took a toll on their ability to do so. They taught me so much.

And it turns out that I have a pretty good ability to work with clients, manage business, etc., which is what my overbooked landscaper needs help with. It's tempting - help others realize their personal dreams for their own outdoor space.

But here's the thing, and the near end to this too-long post (that's what you get when I'm stuck in a hotel room!), this opened my eyes to how I could apply the skills and talents I currently use in my profession in a completely different way.

Aside from that recent revelation, I've always considered being a teacher (spent 3.5 college years training to be one before changing course). And I would (will!) at some point devote more time at the monastery in Thailand not only as a practicing and studying Buddhist, but also as a provider for the surrounding rural communities, because, as I've described in other posts here, that is part of the life of a Buddhist monk in Thailand.

jtakeda

09-22-2016, 12:36 AM

Interesting to hear what yall say.
I currently work in a dying industry...and I do physical labor so I cant do it forever.
I have to think about what my next step is about once a year because I have to figure something out.

I have a BA-but that doesnt mean much anymore.

Honestly my plan B is either:

1. Become a farmer--live off my own land in the middle of nowhere.
2. US Post Office
3. Land Surveyor

I think what I've learned is a enjoy working outdoors and dislike staring a computer. Not the most glamourous or high paying jobs but I'm a pretty simple guy.

estilley

09-22-2016, 12:58 AM

Worked a corporate job in NYC in front of the computer all day that was stressful and seemed like a path to nowhere.

Packed up and moved back to pdx and started working a job with half the salary where I get to be on my feet all day, use a shop full of tools, and interact face to face with customers. 200% increase in happiness.

Going to school while working full time to become a mechanical engineer - hopefully a natural evolution from the skills I have learned in the shop to a job with more of living wage.

Pretty pleased to feel like I'm on a productive path.

Here's to the future!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

OtayBW

09-22-2016, 04:02 AM

Understanding also that where you are in life might dictate your decision: Responsibilities might change the mix between what you WANT TO DO versus WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.I'll start by answering the question: I have no idea! But at this stage in life I think I have a greater interest and desire to do something good rather than to chase money and ambition.I dunno. After >30 years in the sciences and coming up short on the retirement funds, I'm thinking that what I want to do should be chasing money and ambition!...

oldpotatoe

09-22-2016, 05:38 AM

Flew USN Fighters for 20 years(well, almost, 9 months at the Naval War College)..but in the USN, when flying is done, it's really done. "Retired" at age 42.

***, I'll just go fly for a living..nope, not in 1993. No flying jobs that weren't crap or being gone 50% of the time so.......hello bike shop, wrench, then service manger, 5 total, owner of the last. All in all, good choice but I miss flying..rich man's sport.

BUT retired/sold shop..to help nanny 2 grand daughters..very satisfying, very hard(3 and 5 year old), helps mom and dad not spend the $100 per day on decent child care.

NOW, build wheels, do some local wrenching. I missed the 'bike' part of bike biz, not the 'biz' part.

I think the only thing I would do differently is stay another 6 years in the USN..maybe make Captain/O-6..then retire. Being a pensioneer gives one a whole bunch of options..when I went on the 'US Uncle' dole at 42 years old.

fourflys

09-22-2016, 06:00 AM

so I'm currently at year 23 in the military and currently advanced as far as I can enlisted (no desire to do the Officer thing). I will be at 26 yrs at the end of this tour and can only do 30 yrs max, so I've been thinking about this a lot... (I'll be 49 yrs old if I do 30)

If I was independently wealthy and didn't need to earn $xxxxxx per year, I'd open a bike shop in a heartbeat... BUT, since my wife is a teacher and has moved around with me (i.e. no retirement) and I have one junior in HS and one 3rd grader, I need to get a job with a bit more guaranteed income... I will most likely end up as a federal civilian employee for at least another 10 yrs and earn a second retirement... I could end up running a Doctor's office as well since my specialty/exp is Healthcare Admin/Mgt and my degree is Business Mgt...

fourflys

09-22-2016, 06:03 AM

Of course, never thought I'd be doing what I was doing, either. Went from Flight Attendant to MRI tech, a very common career path. ;) . .

while in the Coast Guard, I started out as an Electronics Tech and will end my career as a Corpsman (medic)... ;) at least the equipment never complained or came in with a diagnosis from Web MD!

William

09-22-2016, 07:41 AM

I spent many years in Production management, and then transferred my skills to a Quality Assurance Director at a high end lighting manufacturer. During those tenures I started side businesses in custom glass signage and fine art as well as teaching Combatives/Martial Arts.

Eventually the lighting manufacturer I was working for couldn’t make the transition to competing with cheap Chinese knock-offs and closed it’s doors. In my custom signage company it was peaks and valleys for a number of years and I got to a point where I needed a large chunk of capitol to finance acquiring large scale carving equipment to be able to compete with and service the larger design firms but couldn’t make it happen.

To the OP’s point, when those avenues were closed I went to teaching full time. I’ve been training continuously since the early eighties and teaching since the mid 90’s. I love working with people, seeing them grow and acquire skills that they never thought they could. That said, if I had to change what I’m doing NOW: Composites - it’s the future.

Seriously, I’m looking into the composites program at IYRS which is local to me. More of an interest to me right now but it is where I would move if I HAD to. So many things you can do with carbon fiber.

William

PS: For those of you that made comments about moving into the trades, this is well worth a read…

smontanaro

09-22-2016, 10:27 AM

Interesting thread. I've been fortunate to always do what I love (I'm a software engineer), and at various times in my career have eschewed the management path in favor of staying technical. I've done some interesting stuff over the years, I'm about to turn the page on my career one more time, leaving the trading firm I've been at for the past twelve years for another one which is figuratively just around the corner. After that page is written, I think it will be time to close the career book.

weisan

09-22-2016, 11:05 AM

Thank you fuzz pal for creating this very interesting and reflective discussion thread.

As most of us know, there's no right or wrong answer here. Some things are within our control, some things are not. Personally, I believe that we each have to take command and responsibility for making our own choices and charting our own course, and not leave it to someone else to do that for us.

I took the road less traveled when I was in my mid-twenties, rebelled against the "traditional route" laid down for me by my parents and elders. I want to explore the world outside of my comfort zone. I want to expand my horizon. I want to write my own script. So I left home...and I came to America. :D

What better place for a rebel like me! :p

And ever since then, life has been an experiment, a surprise, and an adventure all rolled into one.

...and it's still ongoing!

The best advice I can give, not that anyone needs my advice....is not to look at life choices as all or nothing. You don't have to scrap everything to start all over. You don't have to tear down the entire house in order to re-build. But you must be willing to make the necessary adjustments, or hard choices, take some risks, focus on the front, always moving forward, rather than keep looking back at the rear view mirror.

If someone offers you a box of chocolate, take it!

http://s3.amazonaws.com/geekmag-production/comfy/cms/files/files/000/002/028/post/18122014_GEEK_CHRITSMASCLASH_forest.jpg

And you will be duly rewarded.... :D

http://www.ew.com/sites/default/files/styles/tout_image_612x380/public/i/2014/06/30/Forrest-Gump-Ice-Cream.jpg?itok=DZoPs1cs

To answer fuzz's question:
If you weren't doing what you're doing, then what would you do next?

I honestly don't know.

But I have never had any problem figuring that out when the time comes. :beer:

eippo1

09-22-2016, 11:13 AM

This has been a big question for me since I have become so specialized at what I do. Left my previous career a while ago to back to school for architecture.

Been in the architecture field for 10 years now and have gravitated towards healthcare. Started doing a little bit of it with a small firm and then went to a medium-sized firm that does only healthcare.

For the last 2+ years, I have been on-loan to a hospital as an in-house project manager overseeing all kinds of projects from big to small. There's a lot of politics (which I actually enjoy), and the environment is dynamic and a little insane. Also happy doing something where I feel like I'm actually helping people. Not really sure what I'd do next but it would most likely be healthcare related and has to bring in enough bucks to support my ridiculous student loans, which basically equals another mortgage.

carpediemracing

09-22-2016, 11:21 AM

This is a timely thread for me.

My life has been like so:
15 years bike shop - mech, mgr, owner. As mgr it was nice, but money was poor at all levels and the stress as owner was over the top.
10 years IT - user support at first (internal users) then sys admin support (users were other company's sys admins). Stress/time was terrible but very lucrative.
5 years - retail clerk, if you will, while thinking of what to do next.
5 years - looking after my son and now also my dad.

Not sure what to do now. Whatever it is I have to wait for my dad to pass, so I'm in pause mode. Not sure how long that will be, my thoughts vary from day to day. Right now I'm in "6 month" mode, four weeks ago I was thinking "at least a year or longer".

I sold cars for a bit and I actually liked it, except it's not very lucrative and there's an element of competition that I don't like, meaning you compete with your own teammates. Rush to get the customer, etc. And there are still a LOT of slimey people in car sales. I did enjoy building a rapport with the customer, figuring out what would work best for them.

A close friend of mine, who has been sort of a life consultant to me for many years (he ran my shop for a while), told me I'd be a good sales rep for bike stuff. I love driving, I've been on the shop side of things, and I'd have to have a product that I believed in 100%. Factory rep would be the way to do it, with benefits, but those positions are few and far between.

Recently a local shop advertised for a shop manager. I don't know if I could do that again. I was offered the same position at a different shop, the guy actually offered me a very high salary (within $15k of my IT salary) and I told him flat out that he couldn't afford to pay that and turned him down. I helped him a few times, did some flat fixes, built a couple wheels (showed them some time saving things), some other misc stuff. He closed within a few years.

People have asked me about promoting races. I did it more as an obligation and not as a way to make money. It's not very lucrative at all, I sometimes joke that my entry fee for the race I did on whatever day I promoted was $1000 or $1500 because that's how much money I lost that day promoting the race.

People have asked me if I'd consider a GF or CX or something other than crits. I haven't because I don't do them and I don't have an idea of what I'd want in such an event. Plus since I don't really do those events I'd feel like I'm taking advantage of everyone doing the event.

In my promotion shoes I had to pay two park employees $55/hour each 12 hour minimum to hold a race (they basically sat around for 10 hours, hiring them was a union/city requirement). My wife was like "can you get a job like that???". Maybe it's just money and screw the life satisfaction thing. I can hold a Slow/Stop sign at a construction site and keep cars from colliding in a one-lane-closed situation.

Dave B

09-22-2016, 11:33 AM

Both degrees of mine are super specific and I have no idea what else i am qualified for. Probably nothing...but i like to dream. I have only ever worked with kids, so that also could be a deterrent for a boss as I know how to deal with those concerns not as much with adults.

As a teacher I dream a lot about doing something else, usually for the money, but teaching isn't a bad gig at all.

I would love to be able to be a psychologist with my own practice, a Phd, and work with families who need a shake up. Take them hiking, riding, camping, and put them in situations where the dominant spouse has to rely on the other one or a child to get out of a situation.

livingminimal

09-22-2016, 11:34 AM

Wouldn't change anything, except I would have embarked on this, my second career, earlier. I might have gone for a PhD after my masters (Im only 40, guess I still could) but I would still be in Social Justice/Non-Profit leadership work.
I wanted to start teaching at a University as well and I am finally getting my chance next year.

AngryScientist

09-22-2016, 11:46 AM

my career path up to this point has been super exciting, challenging and rewarding.

i've switched career segments a few times now, but always with an engineering undertone. i consider an engineering degree/background an excellent foundation to do any number of things, and the possibilities are almost endless.

fourflys

09-22-2016, 11:56 AM

If someone offers you a box of chocolate, take it!

http://s3.amazonaws.com/geekmag-production/comfy/cms/files/files/000/002/028/post/18122014_GEEK_CHRITSMASCLASH_forest.jpg

And you will be duly rewarded.... :D

http://www.ew.com/sites/default/files/styles/tout_image_612x380/public/i/2014/06/30/Forrest-Gump-Ice-Cream.jpg?itok=DZoPs1cs

I'll be your LT Dan.... "Lt Dan, ICE CREAM..... Ice Cream, LT Dan..." :D

moose8

09-22-2016, 12:22 PM

I'd start a brewery.

Tickdoc

09-22-2016, 12:33 PM

I can't imagine not doing what I currently do. I get to help people, meet people, and use my hands. (dentist)

If I were to change to do something else, I think it would be inventor. I like the process of improving a current way of doing something or applying new technology in a different way.

I've gotten close with one patent application, but it eventually fell through.
It takes alot of energy to sustain, but I love the process of improving ideas and finding a new way to do things. Tinkering is fun for me, so if I could find a way to do that full time, Id do that.

d_douglas

09-22-2016, 12:37 PM

I think being a physiotherapist would be pretty cool. I am always amazed at the progress good physios make with myself and others. People ALMOST always come away from a physio feeling better about themselves.

Has someone said they wanted to study architecture yet!??! Say it isn't so...

cfox

09-22-2016, 01:36 PM

Build kart racing engines and carbs. I already do it part time with one demanding customer (son).

merlinmurph

09-22-2016, 01:39 PM

Timely discussion for me, too.

I'm a software engineer in a bit of a niche area - mainframe systems software. What has been good is that there aren't many new mainframers, so the pay is good. Last November, my company offered early retirement packages, and this was a good package because the company was being bought out. Having been there 18 years made the offer very attractive for me, especially since I was going to be 62.

So, I had 2 weeks to think about it, and I went thru the very process this discussion is about. I made of list of all the things I wanted to do, but didn't do them for various reasons, like they took large chunks of time, took me away from my job, etc. Bottom line is that I did a lot of thinking. What made it hard was that I really liked my job, really liked the people I worked with, the company was a leader in its industry, and I liked getting up in the morning and going to work. I didn't sleep well for those two weeks, just thinking about what I'd do. When I finally signed on the dotted line on a Friday five minutes before the deadline, I slept like a baby.

Right now, my wife and I are 8+ weeks into an aimless cross-country tour. We bought a trailer, bought a truck to pull it, closed up the townhouse, got a mail forwarding service and took off. We're loving it so far, seeing parts of the country we've never been to, meeting lots of people, and getting a few bike rides in. I'll admit that this is a bit of a selfish venture, but, well, it's pretty cool. We don't know how long the trip will last, and we're not even sure whether we'll work again. We'll think about the work thing later.

Anyways, my list has a ton of stuff on it.
Become a dog trainer
Go to a bike mechanic school, work in a shop
Get better at photography - I'm pretty bad
Learn more about electricity
Take up surfing
Do the Haute Route around Chamonix
New Zealand for a few months
Grand Canyon raft trip
Yellowstone in winter
Do a mt bike trip and simple bike trips
Volunteer at all sorts of places - animal rescue, the list goes on
See my dad more, he's 90

The list goes on.

A good friend put it best, and this really helped me thru the thought process. He said the one thing I'll have is time, time to do things you couldn't normally do. Once that sunk in, it really helped me go thru that process.

Kind of long-winded, and I'll end it with a pic I took the other day on a ride in MT where the last rider thru here didn't fare too well.

http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac62/merlinmurph/RV%20Trip%202016/C360_2016-09-20-13-21-01-736_x_zpsvvzfos72.jpg (http://s886.photobucket.com/user/merlinmurph/media/RV%20Trip%202016/C360_2016-09-20-13-21-01-736_x_zpsvvzfos72.jpg.html)

SPOKE

09-22-2016, 02:15 PM

In the same industry for me. Had a few different positions but the same industry all the same. Started out as a machinist. After 4yrs I moved into the office as a product designer which allowed me to develop some decent CAD skills. Next was a change to an inside sales engineer position. In 94' I was Given the opportunity to move to an outside sales engineer position. I have worked as a sales engineer for 4 different companies now. I didn't plan any of this. I just showed up for work and have always tried to do the right thing for my customers and employers. looking back on this I don't think I could have been any happier or satisfied with working in the machining industry. I've always had a good job and when I felt my situation wasn't what it needed to be because of corporate decisions I roll d the dice and found a new employer.
If I could get a do-over then I should have taken the chance and opened a bike shop in 98' when I got divorced. That would have been the right time for me to make sure he move. Dispite not opening the shop I have still managed to feed my bicycle need with my own purchases as well as helping many cyclists here in the area with their repairs and custom builds. By working from my home I haven't had to deal with anyone that walked in the door. I rarely work on bike that was purchased for less than $6k. This hobby job has allowed me to give back to the cycling community in at least a small way by helping a few struggling junior racers and even a few of the local master racers.
What's interesting is I now find myself in a position to retire retire a few years earlier than expected due to an inheritance. I don't know what the future looks like right now but I can tell you that spending more time with my friends and traveling a bit is now more possible than ever for me. I also think that I'm actually going to finally teach myself to use the TiG welder I bought a few years ago.👍 And it looks like I'll finally uncrate my Anvil frame jig too....

jlwdm

09-22-2016, 02:19 PM

This thread is probably too late in life for me as the bigger question is when am I going to retire. On the other hand I think I would miss doing some work.

I look back on my career and it seems that I never had a plan. I started college as a math, chemistry and physics major with no idea what I wanted to do. On the other hand it seemed everyone in my classes knew they wanted to be a doctors or a dentists. So I spent a lot of time on the free golf course and ended up with a business/accounting degree.

After college one of my best friends was signed up to take the LSAT test across the state where his sister lived and said why don't you come along for a little vacation. The next thing I knew we were in law school.

After 9 years as an attorney I moved out of state to do some commercial real state and related jobs for four years. Then it was back to my old job as an attorney for 8 years. This was my one career mistake as there was not any personal growth. I am a big believer in change - makes you grow.

Then it was off to Arizona to sell residential real estate for 12 year followed by almost 8 years doing the same in Texas.

I have not applied for a job since my first job out of law school. Every other position was someone offering me a job. Although it seems like I did not pick a career path I did make choices between various offers.

The last six years I have worked for myself and if I was starting my career now I would work for myself earlier. I work too many hours and need to work on slowing down. Although I have always done fairly well financially, these last 6 years have been my best years which slows me down from retiring.

I don't think anyone should feel pigeon holed based on their education or work history. There are lots of options available if you work hard and have common sense. I hired a lot of attorneys right out of law school and common sense and the ability to deal with people were two of the most important qualifications.

For me my early golf career, love of math and law degree have all served me well in other areas through my whole life.

Don't limit yourself. Life is full of opportunities.

Jeff

josephr

09-22-2016, 02:26 PM

Being unemployed since March, with benefits running out soon, I've had to think about Plan B. Three things I've explored are a) getting my CDL, b) getting my real estate license, and c) working as a career counselor, most likely in an outplacement organization. I'm not ready to throw in the towel yet though as I have several opportunities in the later stages.

Hang in there bro!

After 18 years in Human Resources/Recruiting...I find myself absolutely burned out with the corporate world...even though I've a BS in HR, I'm currently going back to the local community college for Licensed Physical Therapy Assistant. Pretty in-demand type of work and should be for a long time and the work isn't hard, but sometimes there's the ick factor with some older patients who've not taken care of themselves.

Still, just cause I decide for a job change doesn't mean the bills stop coming, right? Anyway, its been since August since I've received a pay-check...gotta get moving!

shovelhd

09-22-2016, 06:18 PM

Thanks. I could retire right now but I don't want to start taking distributions this early. I'd rather take a plan B and cut my old wage in half. That would be enough to carry me to 65.

Good luck to you, too.

ojingoh

09-22-2016, 06:32 PM

Probably something academic. Physical sciences, astrophysics or astronomy in particular. I had two doors to open in college, and that was the other door.

I've been very fortunate that I've only been really told NO about a career path once in my life (medicine) everything else I've been good enough to have fun.

MadRocketSci

09-22-2016, 07:44 PM

Freelance sushi bar chef...in Switzerland

VoyTirando

09-22-2016, 11:15 PM

This thread is such an inspiration, and really humbling. I was up late geeking on gravel bikes while my (very) pregnant wife snoozes... and I find these heartfelt musings on vocation. Also cool daydreams about 'what's next.'

For me, i went to law school at 27, after trying third world development/ nonprofit stuff post-college and finding the nonprofit world full of terrible people and myself with no 'real' skills. Now, at 43, managing a team of younger lawyers in a nonprofit, I try to not be the people I loathed when I was young. So far, I've been able to keep these young, idealistic and hardworking people happy, and me, too.

But there are days when I want to ... just go. Take my wife, my son, and my soon-to-be-born daughter, take our meager savings, and just... go. Move to Maine, be a carpenter like my dad, build things I can actually quantify, or open (yet another, but this time well-managed) bike shop in Barcelona, or move back to the Colorado mountains and pound nails again and ski.

ripvanrando

09-23-2016, 05:45 AM

I always thought I'd enjoy being a bicycle Tour Leader. In wine country because I used to know something about grape juice.

bewheels

09-23-2016, 05:52 AM

Here is a next move for someone ...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cyclingnews-online-production-editor-required-12-month-maternity-cover/

shovelhd

09-23-2016, 07:32 AM

Deadline was 6/10/16. Hey at least I clicked :)

carpediemracing

09-23-2016, 07:51 AM

Deadline was 6/10/16. Hey at least I clicked :)

It showed up on my FB feed. The deadline date is weird but it posted to the cyclingnews site on 9/22. I think someone must have backed out or something.

ripvanrando

09-23-2016, 08:04 AM

Deadline was 6/10/16. Hey at least I clicked :)

ROW date format nomenclature......day, month, year.

fuzzalow

09-23-2016, 08:54 AM

What interesting lives we lead. In all its twists, turns, highways and byways traveled and traversed. I am humbled to be in the company of some of you blokes and in this place I am grateful for the acquaintance of many and the friendship of a few.

Thank you fuzz pal for creating this very interesting and reflective discussion thread.

I just hadda reply on this: Sure the nature of this topic might provoke reflection but what motivated my posing of the thread was FEAR! The quote from retiring racer Ms. Abott about having "absolutely no idea what to do next" sounded whimsical and care-free but to me it was less thoughts of freedom and liberation and more a foreboding sense of threat and uncertainty. I don't feel that I can throw down and pick up something new outta left field and start over and be OK with it. It's not even the money although that has something undeniable about it too: I've got skin in the game and more than the shirt on my back so vagabond romance is not in my future.

Frankly, I'm not sure that I would even want such a self-centered existence as I'd prefer to make a positive difference for a bigger picture. As such, if I think I have been blessed with an ability, whatever that is, I also in some ways incur an obligation to put it to use but not for me, I've been blessed with a lot already. BTW, I can think this way because I'm a little further along - you younger Paceliners with new or young families, those priorities always come first.

Spend a lifetime building a life. Spend a lifetime looking for something that makes it worth it. What an adventure with all its mysteries. Woohoo.

No easy answers, just formative first thoughts that become first steps that become new directions and all that follows.

carpediemracing

09-23-2016, 09:01 AM

ROW date format nomenclature......day, month, year.

I feel dumb. Non-metric thinking.

Waldo

09-23-2016, 12:07 PM

I am chained to a job I don't particularly like by $55k/year in tuition payments for pre-school and high school. I wish it were 2019 already, when the high schooler starts college (we've saved well, fortunately) and the pre-schooler will be in a public elementary school. Present money needs aside, I'd be very happy as a bike shop flunky or a sports medicine doc (can't do med school at this point in life, alas).

dustyrider

09-23-2016, 08:08 PM

Spend a lifetime building a life. Spend a lifetime looking for something that makes it worth it. What an adventure with all its mysteries. Woohoo.

"You spend most your life
looking for the adult you are,
then you spend the rest of it
looking for the child you were."

Ryun

09-23-2016, 08:30 PM

I love my job. not only the day to day stuff but it enables me to do all the other work in the world by paying me too much.
While in grad school at UVA, I bought into a bike shop and was that bike shop rat/racer while working on my phd. One summer I decided to work at a car dealership for the summer for some extra travel cash for racing.
15years later still in the business. At this point I am a lifer.
Im on track to retire in 6years or so (50yrs) and really just focus on my work in Guatemala and Africa. girls will be gone and it will just be my wife and I.

i would love to go back and be a permanent bike mechanic but as a compromise my wife lets me have a lot of bikes and a small shop in the back garage. So my night job is as a part time mechanic where Im the only customer. That probably helps explain the quantity of bikes I have.

john903

09-23-2016, 10:14 PM

I went into the Army right out of high school did 4 years then into the Coast Guard for 16 and retired from the military. So I had a small taste of ok now what, so I became a School Bus driver and just love the job in fact it isn't really a job I get to drive kids around and hang out with young people. I am also the driver trainer and find that very fulfilling as well. In 10 more years I will have 20 years doing that then onto something I have always wanted to do. I want to run a community bike shop and more specifically a mobile bike shop for kids and teach them bike mechanics. Giving them some pride and ownership in doing something bigger then themselves by helping and serving and teaching others what they have learned. We have a Bike Works program in Seattle I am modeling it after that. In fact things are all ready starting to come together and I may be able to start this even sooner by working with and through the Boys and Girls club they are just now starting up a earn a bike program.

Anyway whatever we chose I think we should really enjoy doing and giving back to others. Therefore it really makes me enjoy what ever I am doing. Kind of circular thing.

ofcounsel

09-23-2016, 11:36 PM

After 4+ years as an Air Force enlisted guy, I got out to finish college. Along the way, I took the LSAT and ended up in law school.

Early on in my legal career, I worked at a few "Big Law" firms. The pay as a young attorney at Big Law was more than I ever could have imagined as a young enlisted guy. But the amount of work and stress that came with the big paycheck was pretty overwhelming. Thankfully, after a few years I made a slight career pivot and left Big Law to practice as an in-house lawyer for large utility. I spent 8 years at one utility, and now I've been at another utility in pretty much the same capacity for the past 6 years.

Of course, there are some days where I'd think I'd rather just be a barista and not have to think much about work once I leave the office. But overall, I can't really think of a better gig balancing income, intellectual challenges, value to our community and work-life balance. I kind of feel like I've won 1st place in the whole "job" category when I think about all my contemporaries I graduated with. I've had a good "work" life so far.

majorpat

09-24-2016, 12:42 PM

These posts are encouraging to read, I am certainly thinking about it too. Strange journey for me, 2dLt in the USMC right out of college, 8 years active then 5 reserve. Had several civvie jobs: production mgr, executive recruiter, couple sales gigs, tried and failed to start a company (2008 will do that to you), DoD civilian then fell back into active duty job with the Air National Guard. Will have 20 active years in 2021 and likely retire but may stay a couple more if I make O-6. Will still have kids in high school so all these ideas are enlightening.
Kind of need to stay until eligible for military retirement, so if I wasn't doing this I would be doing this, at least for a few more years. Then what? Something...things seem to have worked out so far.

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk

martl

09-24-2016, 03:37 PM

I studied mechanical engineering (specialization for vehicles) because that was one of my two big passions as a young man. This is 4.5 years of University here. As graduation approached, no jobs were available in this field (imagine, in effing Germany, home of the car), so i idled doing an internship at the IT department of a bank, IT being the second of my passions. A consultant i worked with offered me a job in his company, so i never got my engineering degree and started in IT consulting. A couple of years later, i was at my third employer, a startup software company, as senior consultant, doing Premier Field Services pretty much all over Europe and beyond for the systems management software we had. That meant 35-40 weeks/year away from home, sometimes visiting 2-3 different customer locations in the same week. Spent a lot of time on the Autobahn and at airports.
Still at that time, i did the most riding i ever did in my life, up to 10.000km/year. Virtually spent every spare minute riding.

After my knee was pretty much totalled at an hiking accident, i reduced cycling greatly and after a burnout i joined one of our customers as IT admin to have a quieter life. Didn't suit me. At all. All that big corporate sh** just drove me nuts.. office politics, idiotic management decisions, meaningless endless meetings, performance reviews...

Last year, age of 50, i went freelance in the same field. I do projects in our area and am slowly building a customer base. Having the time of my life - next best thing to being born again :) I *might* consider something with bikes/classic bikes especially, but i fear there is little money to be made there if you're not extremely industrious/lucky/whatever. The market is just too small.

slidey

09-25-2016, 10:26 AM

Behavioural Economist

Doesn't mean I can't yet make it, but it gets tougher every passing day, especially my present occupation, at this time, seems quite amenable to me.

54ny77

09-25-2016, 01:00 PM

Buy Apple and Amazon at their IPOs. And hold. Or at least until this year, cash out, and order a new bike.

smontanaro

09-25-2016, 05:59 PM

^ If all you could afford with those two picks is a new bike, you obviously didn't buy enough. ;)

fuzzalow

09-25-2016, 06:46 PM

Buy Apple and Amazon at their IPOs. And hold. Or at least until this year, cash out, and order a new bike.

For shareholders of AAPL, they didn't even have to be prescient enough to read a play on AAPL from the point of their IPO. That ownership from that early on would taken the shareholder skydiving through the time of Amelio & Sculley (Jobs to Sculley: "Do you want to sell sugared water or do you want to change the world?").

Any long position in AAPL pre-iPhone and you'd have made out just fine.

Bob Ross

09-26-2016, 10:08 AM

I'd take up a trade, actually learn something real and useful, like metal working, carpentry, plumbing, or wood working. Being educated is all fine and dandy, but it would be really great if i could build stuff with my hands and creativity. If i could go back, i'd skip college and be a tradesman. for sure

There's a part of me that strongly identifies & empathizes with this sort of thinking. Way back in the summer of 1986 I worked in an architectural millworking woodshop, and the sense of personal gratification I got after a day's work when you could point to a pile of stuff and proudly say "What did I do today? Why, I made that!" is a better feeling than almost any other sensation I know.

But the fact of the matter is, I sucked at woodworking...and I suck at all the other home repair/rebuild projects that require a similar skillset. It's not that I don't have the coordination or motor skills or general knowledge, and I've demonstrated throughout my adult life that I'm capable of learning how to safely and prudently operate any tool to the extent required to accomplish nearly any task.

I simply lack patience ...and along with that, I'm lacking the desire or motivation to patiently make sure a job is completed accurately with a high degree of precision.

The only work where I seem to be able to diligently pursue meticulousness is when I'm writing music (which is a whole 'nother sort of "handbuilt" skill).

So yeah, while I often romantically idealize a second career as a tradesman, I'm pretty confident that I will never be cut out for any sort of success in that department.

=================================================

So, what would I do next?

The ideas that seem to have the most traction in my imagination are twofold:
- either an extension of the career in audio engineering/production/system design I've had for the past ~40 years, albeit in an as-yet-unexplored corner of that niche... either in audio forensics, or as an audiologist for the hearing impaired.
- something to do with animals: fostering, training support animals, working at a conservancy or zoological park, assisting a veterinarian, maybe raise an army of miniature goats that I lease out as organic lawnmowers.