wtf, how do i realize what i really like?

A quick bio: at a target with high gpa, doing a bb soph program this summer, previous internships under my belt

So I really don't know how to find where my true career interests lie. It seems like "finance" is the popular route and where I can see myself doing well in, but to be honest, I don't find it that fascinating at all. Am I screwed in the business world? I ask this because I'm also not interested in law, medicine, engineering... do I have a problem? Is it too early to ask myself what the fuck I really want to do after graduation?

How did you guys end up finding out what you truly love to do and how long did it really take you guys to realize this?

 
Best Response
unknown1991:
A quick bio: at a target with high gpa, doing a bb soph program this summer, previous internships under my belt

So I really don't know how to find where my true career interests lie. It seems like "finance" is the popular route and where I can see myself doing well in, but to be honest, I don't find it that fascinating at all. Am I screwed in the business world? I ask this because I'm also not interested in law, medicine, engineering... do I have a problem? Is it too early to ask myself what the fuck I really want to do after graduation?

How did you guys end up finding out what you truly love to do and how long did it really take you guys to realize this?

The real world is about learning to compromise between what you WANT to do, and what you NEED to do. And if both are one and the same, consider yourself the luckiest person in the world.

And oftentimes you discover what you want to do when you simply get on with what you need to do.

What you want, what you love, etc. isn't some intellectual, cerebral, or abstract thing where you can just come up with "it" in a vacuum or out of thin air. It comes from experience. You don't know what you will love until you have some experience with it.

Practically speaking, it's trial and error. In your case, find a job that you don't hate, maybe even like - and go from there. Only by DOING something (even if it's simply to pay the bills) will you discover what you really love.

If you know what you love already, that's great, and consider yourself lucky.

If you don't know what you want yet, then don't get too caught up trying to figure that out. For example, you may not hate finance, but you don't really find it fascinating. Suppose you get a job in finance. Take it. You still may not love it, but maybe by doing it, you end up working with a client or deal in an industry that you never knew about or that you never knew you would ever like -- and something you never would've even discovered had you simply just said "what the hell, I'll take this finance job and see where it takes me."

And if you still don't know what you want or love, then don't let that stop you from working a job to pay the bills. There are plenty of people - even very successful people -- whose real passions are outside of their day job, and they have a perfectly happy life - whether that is your spouse and kids, or your car collection, a hobby farm, a side business, or whatever.

Don't believe the bullshit that it's necessary to have a full-time career that you LOVE. If you are in a position to have a career doing what you love, consider it a blessing, and not a necessity for being happy. Of course, you shouldn't take a job that brings you misery, but so long as the job is "okay", bearable, or something you moderately like (but not love), and it pays the bills - that's great! But don't let anyone tell you that you can't be happy if your day job isn't what you love.

Alex Chu www.mbaapply.com
 
MBAApply:
unknown1991:
A quick bio: at a target with high gpa, doing a bb soph program this summer, previous internships under my belt

So I really don't know how to find where my true career interests lie. It seems like "finance" is the popular route and where I can see myself doing well in, but to be honest, I don't find it that fascinating at all. Am I screwed in the business world? I ask this because I'm also not interested in law, medicine, engineering... do I have a problem? Is it too early to ask myself what the fuck I really want to do after graduation?

How did you guys end up finding out what you truly love to do and how long did it really take you guys to realize this?

The real world is about learning to compromise between what you WANT to do, and what you NEED to do. And if both are one and the same, consider yourself the luckiest person in the world.

And oftentimes you discover what you want to do when you simply get on with what you need to do.

What you want, what you love, etc. isn't some intellectual, cerebral, or abstract thing where you can just come up with "it" in a vacuum or out of thin air. It comes from experience. You don't know what you will love until you have some experience with it.

Practically speaking, it's trial and error. In your case, find a job that you don't hate, maybe even like - and go from there. Only by DOING something (even if it's simply to pay the bills) will you discover what you really love.

If you know what you love already, that's great, and consider yourself lucky.

If you don't know what you want yet, then don't get too caught up trying to figure that out. For example, you may not hate finance, but you don't really find it fascinating. Suppose you get a job in finance. Take it. You still may not love it, but maybe by doing it, you end up working with a client or deal in an industry that you never knew about or that you never knew you would ever like -- and something you never would've even discovered had you simply just said "what the hell, I'll take this finance job and see where it takes me."

And if you still don't know what you want or love, then don't let that stop you from working a job to pay the bills. There are plenty of people - even very successful people -- whose real passions are outside of their day job, and they have a perfectly happy life - whether that is your spouse and kids, or your car collection, a hobby farm, a side business, or whatever.

Don't believe the bullshit that it's necessary to have a full-time career that you LOVE. If you are in a position to have a career doing what you love, consider it a blessing, and not a necessity for being happy. Of course, you shouldn't take a job that brings you misery, but so long as the job is "okay", bearable, or something you moderately like (but not love), and it pays the bills - that's great! But don't let anyone tell you that you can't be happy if your day job isn't what you love.

This is great advice. In all honesty there's just too much shit out there and until you experience them first hand you just don't know what you will enjoy doing for a living. That been said, it's impossible to try being a Thai fisherman or an actuary (still don't get the mindset of people in this field). You're in school, enjoy it. Keep your education and career in the forefront and things will eventually fall into place.

 

wow, makes me feel old when someone born in the 90's is asking for a career advice. damn this time thing is moving fast.

if you REALLY dont want it then stop pursing it. but we all know you are gonna go after it anyway because its "cool" and pays "cool."

1

 
MrLove:
wow, makes me feel old when someone born in the 90's is asking for a career advice. damn this time thing is moving fast.

if you REALLY dont want it then stop pursing it. but we all know you are gonna go after it anyway because its "cool" and pays "cool."

1

tell me about it - I'm ancient on here since I was born in 1980...

 
trazer985:
Military_MBA_Banker:
I want to get paid for doing nothing...

having read a lot of your posts, I know this to be incorrect.

Nice try though.

Your dream job is to build a team/help other people make the most of themselves as a team. We have something in common. Not a teacher, more of a leadbyexample person.

I was part kidding, but getting money for nothing is the ideal because then you have the freedom to do what you want, like charity work or something.

 

If you have a different career in mind go for it.

A bit about myself if it might help, if not you can disregard it- I started off in engineering, really enjoyed learning about it and enjoyed it in college but once I started working I hated it. Trading stocks and investing has been a hobby of mine so I decided to make a career out of it and I love it and will probably continue working here until I retire or until I make enough money (still not sure how much that is yet). Then I want to open up my own microbrewery while continuing to invest on the side.

So do what interests you, but a lot of times the stuff you learn in class is nothing like what you'll actually be doing once you start working in the field.

 

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