Changing life style

HappyMexican · 2017-10-23T22:41:48+00:00

It depends what you are talking about by "meaningful endeavors".

If you are talking about starting your own business there is a solid, very solid chance your first couple of ideas will fail. You better make sure it is what you really want. Usually this means you don't quit your day job and work in the evenings/weekends on your business. If you are unwilling to work on you're endeavor/business after work hours, that is a good sign that you don't want to run your own business that badly. Keep your day job. You are better off going to the casino and putting all your assets on RED then quiting your job and hoping it all magically works out.

That being said, it does sound like you can't keep this up forever. The money isn't going to be worth it if you are miserable for years. I can tell you that much. It is ALWAYS smart to keep networking, talking and looking for jobs. Keep researching companies you are able to get too, keep getting as much training as you can get from your current job, and keep your ears/eyes open for better positions. It is not uncommon for employees to leave within a year or two of employment, for higher/better employment. Pretty standard practice these days, so don't feel bad if you find something easier or better and change over.

If you are looking for a less stressful job with more free time, look into government or Academic jobs. I work in IT, and recently made this switch too. Worked for a corporation, and it started out good, but I was miserable the last year I worked there. Found a government job in another state in a small town, and I have way more free time now. I also got a nice increase in pay.

I do not know a whole lot about Engy jobs, but generally smaller towns with colleges, or government facilities are slower paced and easier to handle (Generally!).

I would get your priorities straight, don't leave your job cause you are bored/stressed by it. All jobs have stress aspects that we all don't like. Leave it when you have a better offer, or at least a solid business plan with many worst case scenarios worked out. Applying for other jobs is way easier and less stressful when you have a job.

All that being said. Congrats on getting through college with a engy degree, and landing a job out of college. Honestly, you already did the hardest part. Getting that first job is usually the most difficult part of a career. Now you can spend the next year or two finding a good fit for yourself, buy a house and get some bitches. I can tell you at 29 I get laid more then I did at 19 or 20. Plenty of ladies still out there and even more when you hit your 30s.

WISE_TURD · 2017-10-23T23:24:16+00:00

Finding another company to work for and then starting a business on the side isn't a bad idea.

You can't quit until you're debt free.

Step 1 - find another engineering job that doesn't suck so hard Step 2 - get supplemental income Step 3 - get passive income (rental property and stocks/bonds)

Step 3 is important because time is a limited resource. Passive income is great on a $/hr basis. Even if it's just $1 that you didn't have to spend any time earning.

Variatiion · 2017-10-24T00:40:36+00:00

welcome to the real world. you work most of the day 5 days a week so you can afford nice things or to pay off debt. get used to it.

That's not to say you cant look for something better, but lets be real, you have 60k in debt and (presumably)rent to pay. You're lucky you have a job at all. As long as you're working towards paying off your debts that's all you need to worry about for now.

2gunsgetsome · 2017-10-24T23:26:57+00:00

Senior Engineer here. If I had to guess, you're incorporating changes that someone else has already decided on to a design that already exists and not having your "creative juices stimulated" or using all that fancy stuff you learned at school. ECNs suck. You probably feel like you have to ask permission to make any decision. You're not getting the figurative "attaboys" of graded tests like you were in school. You're making good money, but not great money.

Yes, some large companies do have their shit together with design and process manuals, young engineer training programs, all that shit. Most don't because it costs money to create and maintain. What you need to realize is your engineering degree only proves that you're trainable and/or capable of teaching yourself to be competent at something you don't fully understand.

Here's my $.02, which at my billing rate, is worth more like $20:

1- Whatever your specific job is, do the shit out of it. Also look for variables under your control that you can adjust to make your job easier/faster/more stimulating. Stop looking for external motivation (direction) and start focusing on discipline.

2a- Look at the mid-range guys (10-15 years experience) at your company. Are they doing something you'd rather be doing? If so, then stick with it.

2b- If not, stick it out for 2 years, then find another job. Less than 2 years at a real job is unattractive on a resume (contractor and coders excluded).

2c- Think you can get a better job? Prove it. Go apply, get some interviews, and get some offers. If you can't do that, you're not worth what your ego thinks you are. Go back to item 1.

3- Stop complaining about why your situation sucks because of (external reason) and start owning everything about whatever sucks so you can change it yourself. If some part of the process isn't getting done and it's affecting you, make that step part of your scope and do it. Very soon, you'll be the "subject matter expert" on that whole area and your value to the company will greatly increase.

4- Repeat item 2c with your new value and experience.

5- During all this, if you really figure out that engineering for The Man isn't for you, make a plan to not do that. Read Mr. Money Mustache. Stop wasting money, pay off your debt, work your ass off and save money while living frugally so in 5-7 years, you can not work and continue to live frugally.

6- FFS, unfollow all those fake "vanlifers" on Instagram.

7- Do shit you like in the evenings and fucking CRUSH your weekends. Do something active besides partying and spending money. Alternately, use your free time to indulge the creativity you aren't exercising at work. Build something that's yours. Work to live, don't live to work.

8- Don't worry that there aren't women at work. Don't date women from work.

Title	Changing life style
Author	tehredsea
Upvotes	2
Comments	6
Date	October 23, 2017 10:23 PM UTC (8 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/78bdhi/changing_life_style/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/changing-life-style.116820 https://theredarchive.com/post/116820

Comments