How do I decide what I want to do with my life?

trillidiotwizard · 2014-10-05T21:35:28+00:00

oldredder · 2014-10-05T21:35:18+00:00

My suggestion is to focus on goals that give you a certain level of insulation against the worst mistakes you will inevitably make during your life on this planet. Ultimately, such insulation will allow you to rebound quicker from failures, and make risky life choices are less dangerous to the long term outlook of your life and livelihood.

For instance, a goal you can have is to find an acceptable house for yourself and buy it outright with no mortgage; or if you get a mortgage, you try to make it as small as you can and try to pay it off as quickly as you possibly can. This example would provide you with a certain level of insulation against the difficulties life might throw at you. Consider you lose your job and throw your savings into a small business for yourself; if you have the house, and never take out an equity loan, it would hurt far less if your business fails simply because your house is owned. You might even lose your electricity or gas for a while, but you'll never be homeless.

This is how I view goals and the "what should I do with my life" questions. Life is life, with time being a precious resource for every individual. I believe that finding ways to put in safety nets and insulation along the way can only help to shorten the downtime between your up time (if that makes any sense).

gohammer3 · 2014-10-06T03:34:22+00:00

Fuck Computer Science made me feel the same fucking way.

W_O_M_B_A_T · 2014-10-06T05:35:41+00:00

You seem to be under the popular delusion that people will somehow pay you to have fun. People will pay you to do things that are not fun but fucking need to be done. However most people either A) don't understand, or most people B) don't want to do.

Choose which of the two appeals to you more.

Fun is what you do in your leisure time, that is, things most people are willing to do for free.

elethal · 2014-10-05T21:37:55+00:00

I work in IT and couldn't imagine a more painful, boring existence than Comp Sci.

Do you like IT? Maths? Why did you pick Comp Sci in the first place?

comewhatagain · 2014-10-06T02:07:59+00:00

It may help to make a list of professional fields you definitely do NOT see yourself going into. Then think about the fields you didn't list and study those a bit more.

jonbristow · 2014-10-06T09:31:55+00:00

Find a job. Whatever job. Spend 6 months to 1.5 years.

If it fullfills you, if you like it, do that. If you enjoy more doing other things (like writing, reading, looking at cats on the internet) find a way to make money doing those things.

There is always a way. Start a blog about those things. Sell it. Write for websites about things you are good at.

Don't make long life plans. There's no point. The bottom line is: Find a way to make money doing things you love. Nowdays it is entirely possible

raweggsoup · 2014-10-06T15:12:52+00:00

I was like you when I was a sophomore in high school. I REALLY wanted to go into Computer Programming like my dad, but my heart just wasn't in it. I ended up picking it as a major when I got to college, but changed it to Biology and Physics shortly after. It's definitely okay to change your major as an undergrad (it's kind of crazy if you don't). Hell, even some people go off to get Master's degrees completely unrelated to their Bachelor's.

Pick what feels right to you. When you're passionate about something, the money will come.

tenthirtyone1031 · 2014-10-06T17:13:39+00:00

Step 1: What do you like?

Step 2: Is there a market? I.e. Will you be able to make a living? If not, are you willing to forego money for whatever you are seeking?

repeat 1 & 2 until you answer 'Yes' to #2

Step 3: Do what you like and charge what money you can for it

Step 4: Stay out of debt.

That easy.

squishles · 2014-10-06T21:40:56+00:00

Same thing, I dropped out and became a contract programmer. Much more fun than school was.

Then again I had a shitty college life anyway sooo yea =/

oldredder · 2014-10-07T14:08:28+00:00

You're in the wrong major. That was good 15-20 years ago.

You could be in electrical engineering. Better work that way. Better be a hard worker and really smart.

You could be in finance: tons of money there but only if you're dishonest.

You can't picture a computer science profession because in reality they're being moved to India & China as fast as possible and that means no job for you. Ditch it. Now.

Everything you can learn in computer science today is free to learn online. The paper (degree) won't be enough to get you a decent job.

Learn a trade too like carpentry or welding or plumbing. Be good at that trade and whatever else you're doing. Seeking 2 polar opposites in future economies means as one dives the other rises and you keep working.

Look at what Eric Hunsader does over at Nanex and ask yourself if you could/should do that.

Title	How do I decide what I want to do with my life?
Author	elethal
Upvotes	17
Comments	22
Date	October 5, 2014 9:05 PM UTC (11 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/2idya0/how_do_i_decide_what_i_want_to_do_with_my_life/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/how-do-i-decide-what-i-want-to-do-with-my-life.142621 https://theredarchive.com/post/142621

Comments