Wednesday, February 02, 2005
When you grew up....Thierry
Howdy all, here is my two cents on the subject.
And btw Scott I really like your answer. I'd do the same type of thing is I won the lottery.
For myself, I didn't know what i wanted to be when I grew up really. I think that I wanted to have some respectful business job for a huge international company (ibm microsoft...) and live overseas. My dream job narrowed down during college and then when reality hit (graduation), I took the first thing that came.
Looking back, I think that my dream was to just grow up period, be an adult, wise and knowing, who worked on himself hard enough to confront and overcome those pesky weakness that we all have, someone who bettered himself personally and then professionally. Not that I wanted to change who I am, just fine tune that person into someone I could respect more.
I've had a think recently about jobs and I think it comes down to one thing: what really motivates you? I've found that for myself, its not the money or the glory or the idea of "ha ha I did it all by myself" but the idea of working on a team, being a leader, an organizer, helping other people to learn, having people depend on me (not in the sense where I rule the roost but that I am an integral part in something bigger), developing a relationship with a customers, a sense of satisfaction in a job well down, the respect of my colleagues, and helping to achieve an overall goal. I've come to this conclusion by thinking back to when I was happy and doing well in life (college, PSE, sports) and then thinking about what I enjoyed in my other jobs.
None of my jobs have fit my ideal job description, and I believe that is why I haven't made a "career" out of them. I have found that I can be successful in those jobs but after a while the motivation just peters out. (this is one of those pesky things that I am still trying to work on to become a real adult).
AM I happy today in my job? no not at all...I work alone and as previously stated that is not the type of situation for me. Do I know what I need to get out of my next job to be happier? I believe so.
I am still a dreamer and think about what I want to be when I grow up. My current delusions of grandeur include director of short firms, tv host of a travel show, sports announcer here in france, author "the way french and Americans see each other", " cultural stereotypes....which countries make fun of which and why" and " Gleaming the Globe - the thierry kauffman auto biography", Owning my own international business, working for the us embassy then the UN then becoming US ambassador to french Polynesia, Selling products made here in France to the US market and vice versa, college professor, real estate investor and the list goes on and on.
I don't think it is bad to dream but I'm currently trying to push myself forward by picking a project and then going for it. That has started by just writing things down, all those ideas in the back of the head, put them down on paper. The only problem then is you learn it is going to take work to get there.
The other side is that you don't dream, you say "I'm not what I wanted to be when I grow up" and then settle and suffer that fate for the rest of your life without asking yourself why did I want to do that? what else is out there? what do I like to do? what motivates me? what do I want to learn? Maybe things have changed since you were a kid, maybe you have changed. Maybe being in the FBI or a fireman or flying the space shuttle or being a teacher or being an professional athlete in the NFL or NBA wasn't for you. Dream but don't compare your life to a 13 year olds ideal and goals. Make new dreams.
Some people say work always sucks no matter what. Some people have decided to work for the human and personal reward they receive not the financial (teachers, social workers). Some people make their own company and try to make it happen (Scott and Devin). Some people manage to get a clear idea of what they want to do and do it (My aunt, who told my girlfriend, who is looking for a job, not to sell herself short and stick a dream and accept nothing else). And then some join the circus.
There is a saying that says in life you can relax or you can really live.
But then again I'm stuck in a crap job. (I'm getting out, I promise)
Thierry ¶ 9:15 AM
And btw Scott I really like your answer. I'd do the same type of thing is I won the lottery.
For myself, I didn't know what i wanted to be when I grew up really. I think that I wanted to have some respectful business job for a huge international company (ibm microsoft...) and live overseas. My dream job narrowed down during college and then when reality hit (graduation), I took the first thing that came.
Looking back, I think that my dream was to just grow up period, be an adult, wise and knowing, who worked on himself hard enough to confront and overcome those pesky weakness that we all have, someone who bettered himself personally and then professionally. Not that I wanted to change who I am, just fine tune that person into someone I could respect more.
I've had a think recently about jobs and I think it comes down to one thing: what really motivates you? I've found that for myself, its not the money or the glory or the idea of "ha ha I did it all by myself" but the idea of working on a team, being a leader, an organizer, helping other people to learn, having people depend on me (not in the sense where I rule the roost but that I am an integral part in something bigger), developing a relationship with a customers, a sense of satisfaction in a job well down, the respect of my colleagues, and helping to achieve an overall goal. I've come to this conclusion by thinking back to when I was happy and doing well in life (college, PSE, sports) and then thinking about what I enjoyed in my other jobs.
None of my jobs have fit my ideal job description, and I believe that is why I haven't made a "career" out of them. I have found that I can be successful in those jobs but after a while the motivation just peters out. (this is one of those pesky things that I am still trying to work on to become a real adult).
AM I happy today in my job? no not at all...I work alone and as previously stated that is not the type of situation for me. Do I know what I need to get out of my next job to be happier? I believe so.
I am still a dreamer and think about what I want to be when I grow up. My current delusions of grandeur include director of short firms, tv host of a travel show, sports announcer here in france, author "the way french and Americans see each other", " cultural stereotypes....which countries make fun of which and why" and " Gleaming the Globe - the thierry kauffman auto biography", Owning my own international business, working for the us embassy then the UN then becoming US ambassador to french Polynesia, Selling products made here in France to the US market and vice versa, college professor, real estate investor and the list goes on and on.
I don't think it is bad to dream but I'm currently trying to push myself forward by picking a project and then going for it. That has started by just writing things down, all those ideas in the back of the head, put them down on paper. The only problem then is you learn it is going to take work to get there.
The other side is that you don't dream, you say "I'm not what I wanted to be when I grow up" and then settle and suffer that fate for the rest of your life without asking yourself why did I want to do that? what else is out there? what do I like to do? what motivates me? what do I want to learn? Maybe things have changed since you were a kid, maybe you have changed. Maybe being in the FBI or a fireman or flying the space shuttle or being a teacher or being an professional athlete in the NFL or NBA wasn't for you. Dream but don't compare your life to a 13 year olds ideal and goals. Make new dreams.
Some people say work always sucks no matter what. Some people have decided to work for the human and personal reward they receive not the financial (teachers, social workers). Some people make their own company and try to make it happen (Scott and Devin). Some people manage to get a clear idea of what they want to do and do it (My aunt, who told my girlfriend, who is looking for a job, not to sell herself short and stick a dream and accept nothing else). And then some join the circus.
There is a saying that says in life you can relax or you can really live.
But then again I'm stuck in a crap job. (I'm getting out, I promise)
Thierry ¶ 9:15 AM
