So I was contemplating the other day about the great divide between the classes in this country and how it is dividing- not becoming a ladder where you can simply slowly advance. It is more like a difficult ascent up a cliff where sometimes the only way to move up is not to slowly creep up, but literally launch yourself up and hope you can grab the handhold to pull yourself up without falling. The analogy even holds for the rope, its safer to have a rope/restraining device in case you fall but that same rope is at sometime slow you down and could hinder you when you least want it to. Its that juvenile promise "You can be anything you want." But I just don't know I feel that way anymore....my dreams of professional sports have been reduced to beer league softball- and thats just the start.
My life has pretty much to this point been a slow and cautious climb- I haven't really made one of those jumps yet, but I think I'm getting there. Obviously buying a house is a small one, getting married is another. But I still consider myself stuck in the middle class- I feel important enough in my job and I certainly like it enough not to leave any time soon. But I just wonder is it all worth it? I mean I'm almost done with my masters- but does that even mean much anymore? Do I need the MBA? do I want to do that and then what? Do I instantly become a CEO (would I even want to be one?), I don't think so, I'd need to make the jump to a high position at a start up or small company first where security is far from assured, but that seems to be the necessary jump- that or start my own company and that requires everything thrown at it and risking everything. These are big choices, and to put it honestly I think I'm happy enough in my niche to never try, and that makes me disappointed. I forget who or where I saw it and apologize if I butcher it but the line was "Nothing is more disappointing than when good people do nothing" My problem is that I really want to change the world, I'd like to help people and yet I don't know how to start. How do you enter politics without selling your soul? Can you? I'm just not willing to take a leap yet, and that- that is the most disappointing part.
Trip Dates Decided
13 years ago
1 comment:
I think that you've got to figure out where you want to go, because I think one can find a total sense of fulfillment in life from "changing the world" in a technical way - my dad has been a completely technical person for 35 years, and never wanted more than to be an expert in what he knows and does well, and pass that knowledge on to others, which is a very admirable method of changing the world. I don't think most of us are cut out to be the next Barack Obama or Bill Gates, and thus we've just got to find happiness and fulfillment in the things that we CAN change - raising happy, healthy, smart kids; being a good role model, working hard and making the most of the opportunities that do arise. I think that your Masters is definitely a plus, and shows that you have a deeper understanding of the technology you're developing. Now, an MBA can take you in that other direction, and help you become more strategic in your thought processes, and that can help in solving both technical and non-technical problems. However, it's definitely not a permission slip to become a CEO - it takes a whole lot more than a degree to make you cut out for that type of responsibility. Also, the notion of "having to leave and join a start-up or small company" is also untrue, as many the CEO has worked up the ranks in even the largest of companies. As long as the organization that you're a part of believes that you are worth putting effort into developing, then you probably can't do too much better by leaving. However, when one does find themselves "stuck", then it's time to move on - but I don't think you've reached that point by any means! I think our generation has this idea that changing the world has to be doing something on some grand mega-scale, but changing the world is far simpler than that, in reality... And it's going to lead to a lot of depressed people who can't "make it big", when just finding happiness and contentment in the little things is what really matters... Making a child smile, teaching someone something new; those are things that really are special, and too many people miss out on that while focused on "getting ahead"...
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