Taken With iPhone by me. Sorry it's crooked and not in frame.
I bought this book a couple days ago from Amazon. I am currently in a crossroads in my life. Let’s just called it a mid-quarter (plus a few years) life crisis. For over two years, I was determined to become a nurse. About a year or so ago, a lot of people has made comments about my quest to nurse-dom. They felt that I wouldn’t be happy as a nurse. On the surface, I shrugged it off and told them they are crazy, but deep down I wasn’t sure if nursing was right for me. I have experience in surgical care and was pretty good at it. But I don’t think I would love it. I figured this book could help out in figuring out what I do love and how I can get paid for doing it. How’s this book works is after each chapter, the author, Dan Miller gives tasks or exercises on what you just learn. It’s a great way to truly understanding what you really love.
Chapter one: “What Is Work?”
I am not going to do a review on this book or a chapter breakdown. I figure that’s boring. Instead, I’m going to start recording the task or questionnaire at the end of each chapter.
- Who gave you your first job? What kind of job was it? How much money did you make? I don’t remember who hired me, but I believe he was the head of human services at a Retirement home. I was a waitress and I think I made like $6.50 an hour.
- From looking at your work life so far, what has been the greatest value or worth? Every job I’ve been in as taught me a lot, which increased my worth. I believe my greatest value was learned a couple years back. I was working at a Doctor’s office and that’s when I realized that I can make a change in peoples lives. And that’s what I loved about that job.
- If your job changes, does your purpose change? Not really. My purpose has alwasy been to make money. As long as I can take care of myself and not have to rely on begging for money, I was pretty satisfied.
- Do you think your current job will exist five years from now? No, I feel like we could lose our department at anytime now. Anytime the school needs to save a little money, our department’s name comes up.
- What would be the key characteristics of an ideal job or career? Helping people, changing peoples’ lives, keeps my interest, challenging, but not too difficult, recession proof.
- When you daydream, what do you see yourself doing? Traveling to different places with my laptop. In other words, blogging, while traveling all around the world.
- What have been the happiest, most fulfilling moments in your life? My last job was about planning events for the students. The most fulfilling and happiest time is when I see everyone happy at the event. If we are talking about non-work related happiness moment, that would be different.
- If nothing changed in your life in the next 5 years, would that be okay? NO, I would not be happy.
Sounds like a good book! I always love discovering stuff like that!
So far the book has been great. We will see if I truly find a job I love. **fingers crossed**
Thanks for visiting. I hope you come again soon.
I’ll play!
Who gave you your first job? What kind of job was it? How much money did you make?
My first “real” job was at Long’s. I applied and they hired me. So it wasn’t really a specific person that got me the job, as I just applied. I can’t remember how much money I made, but I know it wasn’t much at the time.
From looking at your work life so far, what has been the greatest value or worth?
When I was doing an internship at a hospital in the mainland, I was a radiologic technologist (the person that takes x-rays). I have learned that life is too short and that you need to take care of yourself. Every day you live is a gift that you should be ever so thankful for. I learned that everyone has a story, and no matter how bad that person’s past is, I learned how different we all are, but to an extent, very similar. I learned a lot about people. I also learned that nurses are very special people. It takes a certain person with compassion to be a nurse, and I look up to them with the utmost respect.
If your job changes, does your purpose change?
If my job changes, my purpose still remains the same. To make an impact in whatever job I’m doing to benefit the organization as a whole.
Do you think your current job will exist five years from now?
This is a hard question. I’d like to say “yes.” Yet under current circumstances, maybe not. It’s like this everywhere, though, and the current situation with the economy.
What would be the key characteristics of an ideal job or career?
If the job is something I want to do everyday, if I’m excited and enthusiastic to go to work, if it impacts/helps the lives of others, allows flexibility, and if it completes me, that’s the ideal job/career.
When you daydream, what do you see yourself doing?
Owning & managing my own business/franchise.
What have been the happiest, most fulfilling moments in your life?
I have many, and can’t really pinpoint just one.
If nothing changed in your life in the next 5 years, would that be okay?
Yes. If I have my family and friends and my health, I’d be okay. If you don’t have the support of others and your health, which you must take care of first, everything else is secondary. Everything else, is also merely materialistic and comes down to “needs” vs. “wants.”
Thanks for participating. I used to work at longs a couple years ago. It was fun, but I’m glad I don’t work there anymore. I do miss those discounts.
I think it’s totally important to find something that you’re actually passionate about doing, or at the very least doing something you can be proud of, and in an environment that you enjoy. You have to work, why be miserable doing it?!
PS: If you decide to start a company that involves travelling & blogging about it, please hire me!!!!!
PPS: I might steal this list of questions & post my answers if that’s ok
First off, yes, I will hire you…of course! Why not, you are my bloggie twin.
Second, please use these questions and blog about it. I’m all about sharing. Sharing is caring.
Third, I agree with you. I want to find something I’m passionate about, good at it, and enjoy my co-workers and environment. So far, I have not found a job that fits that criteria. For now, I am going to try to achieve happiness in my working situation.
Thanks boss
Where do you work now? I sort of feel the same about my job, trying to find happiness. Event/wedding planning is pretty fun, and (for the most part) I like the people, but my specific job as an assistant can be so boring haha!
I used to work on campus as a (and I am not joking) event planner. LOL. I plan free events for students. Last semester, I had one physical event per month. Zumba and Self-Defense were pretty popular. It got pretty stressful, because a lot of vendors doesn’t like to work for free. I am currently unemployed looking for a new job. I wanna do something fun, but not so stressful. Like, working at a bookstore or storage company. I wouldn’t mind working at a tattoo shop, but then I would want a tattoo all the time. LOL
Well my answer to what I day dream about…it is spending the money I make, but really I see myself consulting or coaching just like this Dan Miller guy.
The answer to the question if nothing changed in five years….what a perfect nightmare, I am in an okay state of life now, but if I am not doing better in five years?!?! Those years better have a tub of Prozac or I would not make it.
It’s a great book, I have it on my Kindle. Another great book is Quitter by Jon Acuff.
LOL at your answer to the five year question. Those are some great answers. I hope your dream of becoming the next Dan Miller comes true. We or at least I need more people like Miller in our/my life.
I always see Quitter under “my suggestions” in Amazon. I’m going to get it. I love reading these types of book. Do you have any other suggestions? What’s your thoughts on Dave Ramsey? He is kinda in that same book category, but more with finances.
Thanks for stopping by! I hope to hear from you again. If not, Happy New Year!