Hi guys. So I've just come back from a monthly business luncheon for the Urban Land Institute (ULI). This group is for people involved in pretty much every facet of real estate. This month's presentation was on shipping and logistics, which doesn't really pertain to my line of work, but it got me out of the office for a few hours. It's also a really great networking opportunity.
Contrary to my opener, my post is not to push the benefits of ULI. I promise. Here's why I'm writing:
As I were sitting there listening to some guy compare the Port of Houston to the Port of New Orleans (woo-hoo) I noticed many of the people were either nodding off or pushing their dessert garnishes around their plate. This got me wondering just how many of these people really love-or even like- their chosen professions. I know in my office at least half the people couldn't care less about what we do. The other half get all excited about coming to work each morning. I'm somewhere in the middle, and this makes me unhappy. I mean, if you're going to do something every day, it should be something you really love, right?
Maybe I should tell you what it is I do. I'm a Real-Estate Analyst/Consultant, which means companies (a) ask me if they will make a profit from building a product-hotel, restaurant, apt complex, whatever- in a certain location, or (b) they own a tract of land and want me to tell them what type of product to build on that land.
It sounds like a really cool job, and in many respects it is. The downside is that I have to compile a brand new 50-60 page report for each client, which means that I have to do tons and tons of research to fill those pages. Each report is like a huge college economics project, except you can't fudge the numbers or make mistakes. It's very meticulous.
I can't see myself doing my job forever. I didn't know what to do after college, so I went to grad school to buy myself some time. Didn't work. I'm still clueless. After taking a career assessment test, I should apparently become an attorney(ha!) or operate machinery at a construction site(what the?!). Have any of you been in this situation? How did you work through it? I'm interested to know.
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2 comments:
Your frustration is shared by millions of adults everywhere. Including myself. I love what I do, sometimes. Other days, I'm bored mentally and wonder about going back and getting a more challenging degree that will pay me some dividends!
I read a quote that really helped me, here it is: "There are alot of flattened squirrels on the highway that couldn't make up their minds."
Sometimes we need to be thankful for what we have, and other times it might be imperative to make a change for the better. The good side is this: Improvement is impossible, without Change.
This is NOT an endorsement for Obama.
Remember the job I had at the newspaper in the adv dept when I first graduated? There were large glass windows facing the Mobile Bay and a cruise ship port, and I used to find myself staring blankly out of those windows in between phone calls and watching the people from the departing ship waving and cheering and I felt so caged in. It seems that some people know exactly what they want to do in life from infancy, and then there are the rest of us. But, there is also a feeling of liberty with that challenge because it comes with a stronger freedom to try different things until we find the perfect fit. If I went to the shoe store and left depressed after trying on one pair of shoes that didn't fit, I would miss out on the great heels that were waiting 4 pairs down. So, I would say, just think about what types of things you really enjoy doing, and test out some different options until you find the right one for you. There are a billion different ways to make money, but only a few ways to be happy while doing it. I look forward to the totally awesome shoes you decide to take home! Or, maybe you'll just decide to start your own designer line instead.
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