In typical mid-life crisis mode (I'll be a parent in 2 days), I got thinking about what I do now and what I would like to do.

Then I got thinking about whether I had ever had a calling or sense of vocation and, if I did, what it might be. I decided I had never really had a calling for anything other than anonymous mediocrity.

Just wondered if anyone had found their vocation and was living it now.

Almost. I am currently staying with my parents, and writing a book on shamanism and natural plant hallucinogens. However, unless I find a publisher, and it sells in the millions, as Carlos Casteneda did, I will have to get a job. After saying that, I am also just finishing my MSc, which I hope to help me move into a much more rewarding job in sustainability and development, as opposed to gambling which is what i was doing before.

Anaesthesia & intensive care, I think. I've never seriously thought about doing anything else since it became apparent my eyesight was too poor to join the RAF as aircrew. While the appeal does sometimes wear thin at 0300, it really is the best job in medicine by a country mile.

Though I did consider respiratory medicine for about 5 minutes when I was a chest SHO in 2003.

Andy (MBChB FRCA)

"Fellow of the Royal Chartered Accountants" ❓

Medicine might have ben my calling, too late to find out now.

Ah yes, saw your other thread on teaching… guess you knocked that one on the head. 😉 In empathy, I've done this exercise and come to similar conclusions. I've never known what I wanted to do … still don't. To the casual observer I have lots of qualifications & a career.. but I know it's really just a complete charade, cause I would drop it all like a shot if I could only find 'the thing'. But you know, you run for so long with your head down thinking it's what you are meant to be doing, that it's only when you surface and really, really start to look at who you are, and what you are doing, and why you are doing it that these questions arise. For me, that is itself a turning point, cause at least you are now aware/awake and actively looking…

Oops post lunch dip, could ramble on but won't! Don't worry you are not alone. 🙂 Oh and in answer to your question … obviously I don't know!

Really wish I had stuck in and become a Pilot…although I think there are a few too many rules which I would cut corners on so maybe for the best.

I would have liked to have worked with teenagers in sport as a coach of something or PE teacher.

However I was sitting here last week and looking out of window and it twigged….. I want to be a council grass cutter on those ride on mowers, the one i was watching was having a grand time.

I'm just back from my vocation. Cracking tan lines.

IGMC

Imminent parenthood does that to you! I rode into the middle of nowhere just before my first was born and sat on a wall for ages just taking stock of my life. Once I’d stopped blubbing I went home and became a dad.

Regarding my calling… Having dipped my toe in it (up to my neck) I’d become a full time MTB events organiser if it would cover the bills. Sadly it doesn’t.

"Fellow of the Royal Chartered Accountants"

Medicine might have been my calling, too late to find out now."

WIYF – Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists.

It's not necessarily too late; quite a few places are now doing medicine as a four-year degree for graduates, & there was a bloke in his fifties doing his pre-reg year in the North East a couple of years ago.

Andy

Yeah, just kicking the ideas round in my head.

I have no real objectio to what I currently do (lawyer), but often wonder if it is really what i want to do. I guess I feel as all soon-to-be parents do: I want my child to do whatever they want, and not what they think they should do. I did the latter.

Had I followed my heart when younger, I'd have been a journalist. Lawyering pays better, but my god it can kill the creative spirit.

ratherbeintobago – medicine has crossed my mind, but I can't afford now to stop earning.

I think I've found my vocation: I'm a dreamer, not a do-er. 😉

Filthy rich indolence.

I am a civil engineer, I just graduated last year. I like my job, it's well paid, the hours are a bit long but the other benifits are good. Long weekend every month and 6 1/2 weeks holiday a year plus bank holidays, health insurance dentist, car, share plan and pension etc….

However I also have this feeling that it's not what I actually want to do.

My back up option is a post grad medicine degree, as apart from teaching, it's the one thing I always wish I did.

I genuinely wanted more than anything to be a doctor, but reality caught up with me at/after A-levels and I had to settle for getting a Biochemistry degree instead.

Then sanity caught up with me and I realised that Biochemistry was both dull and paid badly, so I went into IT where, after far too long, I've got to where the work is interesting again. Surprisingly, it took joining the TA to do a job similar to the one I do outside the Army to make me enjoy it again, so I think my real vocation was probably to be in the armed forces.

I did try to get in before now I have to add, but didn't manage to get in to either the RAF or the AAC on my last attempts.

OMITN – Ive had similar thoughts, but from a position of comfort in what I do. As a freelance consulatnt I own my time much mor ethan one could as a salaried employee. I work only the hours I need to give me a comfortable income, the rest of the time I can explore other skills and interests (currently building my own house 4 days a week)

After the house is finished I'll pick something else to do with my time. Selling boats is taking the lead at the moment…

ratherbeintobago – Member
It's not necessarily too late

Thanks but not sure I could stomach more uni – retrained in law 7 years ago, still paying off the loan, need to be getting a pension together rather than more debt etc. Am giving psychology some thought though, seems you can retrain in 2 yrs of nightschool. That would be my 3rd degree tho!.

EDIT an ex did anaesthetics, sounded exciting.

I wanted to be…..

A lumberjack!

I actually really wish I was too…

I work only the hours I need to give me a comfortable income, the rest of the time I can explore other skills and interests

I either haven't found the right level yet to permit me to choose, or have too much of an expensive lifestyle. Both, I think.

I like the idea of a "portfolio" career. I suspect it's the Mr Toad part of my nature – taken fervently with one thing, and then violently with another. Iim sure I follow my grandfather, a man who described himself as a "sipper and taster of life".

Hmm when I was young I wanted to be a Farmer or an Engineer – preferably an Engineer working on cars.

I gave up on Farming as my friends farm seemed to show there was very little money in Farming (no matter how satisfying it was).

So I became an Engineer. An Apprentice at first, then did my Degree part-time at 30'ish. Got myself a job designing car brakes and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Made a move to a car manufacturer and I'm very happy with my 'vocation'.

Not quite as simple as that sounds but that's the gist of it 😆

I knew Stoner the artisan builder would be in this thread somewhere 🙂

I was born to be a programmer with a sideline in being annoying

Id like to do more conservation type work or maintaining and building trails failing that whisky tasting would be good or custard pie thrower (are you reading this mr clegg) 😉

farmer or vet, the former would only work if you could inherit a farm as there's no money to be made tenant farming and the latter was a problem as my bad attitude at school prevented me getting the grades at school.

ourmaninthenorth, I too am taken with the portfolio career, but get the impression that it pays very little, considering capitalism is based for the most part on job specialization.
did your sipper and taster grandad end up rich? if so I may reconsider

with a sideline in being annoying

You do put the hours in, fair play to you fella… 😀

badnewz – no, he was always impoverished, but died happy (I barely knew him, mind you). He also had an idle streak (which I tend to), which probably restricted his willingness to flog himself.

Sensible chap.

My other grandfather came from a very wealthy family, but ran away, was disowned/disinherited and worked as a waiter, dying (while still working) in his 80s.

I need to consider my strategies carefully..!

I too am taken with the portfolio career, but get the impression that it pays very little,

I find mine pays a great deal, hence I only need to "work" 10-20 hours a week on the day job. (My day job is a specialism though) But with another 50+ hours a week of productivity spare to distribute between other activities and family there's more than enough to try out new jobs etc.

DD – building work is much more fun when it isnt your bread & butter 😉

Problem solving and creative thinking are my vocation. I want to work for a think-tank.

If you've got any problems or things that need thinking of – I'm definitely your man.

Stoner – what area?

commercial real estate and financial analysis/modelling cross over. Not many of us around.

Spose my job is what springs to most peoples mind when they think of 'vocations', being a nurse.

I've never really bought into the idea myself, I've always seen it as a job.

I still very much wish I'd joined the army after school. Not going to happen now. Law's not too bad.

Medical Librarian. Sort of ended up doing it, left uni and dicked about for a few years and then went and did a MA the week after my 30th.

It's just my job, but I enjoy it, think I'm OK at it, so it could be my vocation I guess.

Thinking about it, I can't see myself working in something different now.

Eating, that'd be my vocation, I'm real good at it too :)))

Interesting, Stoner, a bit like my first job. Using some mathematical theory to deduce a relationship between prices and profits by experimentation and varying the parameters, rather than modelling as such.

I would love to be able to work short hours for less money, but as it is I have to work full time for the duration of a project.

Fortunately my projects might last 15+ years but not require intensive analysis during that time except for short periods. The alternative is the "rig worker" model – flat out for 90 days, feet up/tinkering at other jobs for 90. But I think that puts a lot of pressure on your other half/children.

The other attraction is academia, but that's because I have a rose-tinted view of it. Mrs (er, Dr) North is an academic, and knows all too well just how cut throat life in a big university is, and how much worse it is going to be.

Shame, I could get quite into socio-political stuff around transport, sustaintability and equality.

BD what is your specialism? (OMITN I Presume corporate?)

Yeah. I'm 9-5 for 6 months or so in theory, but so far it's been 5 years without a long break… just need to save more money!

BD specialises in War crimes defences, Extraordinary Rendition arrangments and Tax evasion.