Are you ready to get off the tread mill for world travel?
I’ve just jumped on the tube. Rather hazily, I found myself occupying the “stand-up” seat at the end of the carriage on the London Underground . Two guys in their early 20’s, one dressed in a suit and the other in shirt and tie. They lean in to debate with glee their accountancy results and what kind of bonuses they get in investment banking next year.
Ok, so I’m causally dressed. They look like they are going to Cinderella’s ball. It shouldn’t make any difference.
I have mixed feelings, part of me thinks that it’s right to strive to get a good job that pays for my life style. But then there is the other voice in my head that tells me that you are wasting your youth, or the time you have, working for a company that really honestly doesn’t care about you.
I feel that it is a real shame that people’s priorities in their early twenties lay not with striving for something that they believe in but for something that they will make a profit from.
Surely it shouldn’t be about making as much money as possible but about being happy. Unfortunately in the modern world we live in these words seem to be as faint as ever.
Do you agree? What do you think about striving for a successful career verses travel? Let us know in the comments.
Why do people 'settle' for something less than excellent in their life?
1. Fear of the Unknown – easier to stick with something safe than create something new… so of course we miss out on adventure and excitement on a regular basis. MAny people don't want that so that's ok but if you are bored with your life then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
2. 13 Years of School – you have been conditioned to believe that the purpose of life is to do as you are told, follow the rules, work hard and stay out of trouble. I wasn't much of a troublemaker at school so I'm making up for it now. GO YOU CHEEKY TROUBLEMAKERS!
3. Following the Crowd – You are a sheep! That is why you compare yourself to the other sheep around you. That is why you feel threatened by anything that upsets the status quo. "If only there were no tall poppies in the world then wouldn't we all feel so much better?" Actually NO! Every single one of us wants to feel inspired in some way. That is our deepest need. Each one of us has within us the seed of greatness. Will YOU chose to nurture and grow that part of you?
Here is a 5-line wake up call from Seth
Thanks Paul for the great post. Keep up the good work!
Hi Dunstan!
Great comment!
I've checked out your blog and couple of times! Nice work, keep it up!
Got to agree about the "sheep" theory! 😀
Thanks,
Paul @
TravMonkey.com
Great article and spot on-
After yrs of college (quit pre-med/switched mj's…wasn't 100% sure + didn't want to wait til my golden years to travel!!…a tough decision but it/happiness meant too much to me) then a f.t. job with insane amt of o.t./limited time off, made the big decision once avail to take a p.t. job in my field (still o.t. but fortunately can pick +choose xtra wk) since I've been soo much happier even w/less $…and of course to be raising my child in the early yrs than childcare ctr and be able to take time off and exp/share the joys of travel…Have no regrets switching careers one bit!!…I do regret not taking a gap year!!
Hi Jane,
I always think one of the most important things we have in life is TIME. It's very easy to lose it or just let it pass.
Sometimes you just have to go with what will make you happy.
Thanks,
Paul @
TravMonkey.com
Great thought provoker in this article, thanks Paul.
I think that the vast majority of people follow the ‘sheeps’ path because they’re afraid of falling behind their peers; if you look at your friends on facebook and see them getting promoted/getting engaged/having a baby/buying property, then you feel you should be doing the same thing. Then once you’re ensconced in your 9-5 office job there is always something bigger to wait around for; a promotion, a pay rise, a better office cubicle.
I’m 24 and my friends still think my travelling escapades are really cool – but I know that, in a couple of years, they’ll start wondering why I haven’t bitten the bullet and ‘settled’ like the rest of them. Thing is, I have no plans to settle unless I’ve completely extinguished the travel bug, and I can predict that I’ll still be happy and enjoying my unsettled life much more than the office workers, even if they have a substantial paycheck and I’m working in a hostel. Why do you HAVE to have a socially acceptable career if it doesn’t make you happy?
Hi Flora,
I totally agree, great comment. I had to re-read this post as I wrote it 3 years ago! 🙂
The socially acceptable career is the one that kind of annoys me the most, that for example working in the city at a bank would be seen as more impressive than working for charity for example.
I guess it’s brave to ignore the pressure and really do what you feel makes you happy, it’s important, after all it’s your life.