Anyone done it and survived?!

Done law for 27 years Want to do a manual job.Farmed for years and worked in factory so no stranger to hard work

Anyone completely changed their career?

 

I went from Police to a floor layer. Much happier, but then the Police is in a real mess so it's not surprising really

 

Lol, I sometimes think this, mostly when driving to a pointless business meeting - the thought of listening to grown men and women witter on about absolute boll0x, if the time spent at the meeting was actually devoted to getting on and simply doing something - great, but no

seemingly the only point is to simply "attend" yet dodge any actions that might come out the back of said meeting

And on the way to the meeting you see someone "up a pole" or digging a hole, or driving a tractor

You do idly think - that would be good, to actually achieve something in a day

Then you think of your salary cheque at the end of the month, come to your senses and think "fvck that"

 

Finally a subject worthy of my 10'000th post.

I quit what was my longest "career" path for a few reasons, but in the main it was just total frustration at being surrounded by idiots and no way of moving forward without becoming one.

So I decided to go it alone on my housing project out here in Croatia, now I'm a bricky,plasterer, sparky,plumber, tiler, chippy, roofer, labourer and general dogs body and have been for about the last 6/7yrs.

It's taken a while and it's not been easy sometimes coming up with ways to do things alone that really need at least one more person to do, but I quite like being a bit of an Egyptian, I tried having friends out here helping or workmen in the beginning but both tend to just cost me time and money.

It's hard work but I start when I want and finish when I want, I've never been happier in my working life.

My advice would be to go for it, as they say "You only live once" and "Life's too short" sure I don't have the cash flow that I used to but it's surprising just how little you really need to get by once you strip all the BS away.

I got bored of all the fancy stuff that a reasonable income brings anyway, cars, bikes, boats, holidays a splash of "high society" none of it makes you happy or satisfied quite like the feeling of actually creating something from raw materials with a few tools and your hands.

I wouldn't worry about money too much as you can't put a price on your sanity and well being, I'm glad I don't live like that anymore as it was driving me bonkers, I actually think I had a mild nervous breakdown / mid life crisis but now I feel so much better about the direction my life has taken, I'll be sad when I finish it and have to find something else to do.

Seize the day and all that.

Right enough waffle better fo and do something.

 

 

I'm thinking putting in for TV car show presenter

Iv heard there's an opening

 

Switched from Sales-based careers to being a Chef in 2007. Best move for me. My job takes me abroad, to groups of people I wouldn't ordinarily meet/mingle with. I never go hungry and I pick and choose my hours within reason.

 

Nothing wrong with driving tractors or farming . There's no way I could be stuck in the 'rat race' working in a big city, dealing with idiots in suits, stuck on the motorway every day etc etc, absolutely no way.

I studied Criminology and Criminal Justice at University and look what path I've gone down. I'm more of a hands on practical person who likes to get things done; I could never do an "officey" type job.

 

99% of the time I love my job but I have considered a career change and occasionally flirt with the idea of doing something else. Unfortunately there is a high stress load in my profession and it can become unenjoyable sometimes.

But I'm doing further study to keep myself motivated and interested, as I don't really see myself doing anything else. I also do wonder if the grass is greener on the other side, there are positives and negatives in all jobs.

 

I know a minted farmer kid who's my daughter's friend. He did his degree in Law at the same university as my daughter's, and got called by a medical university, just after final Law exams last year. He's gone to study medicals for another five years. He swears not to be a farmer, and his desire is to pursue tropical medicine.

You get all sorts.

My Criminology graduate kid is at a suited-booted, office-based, sham-glam city job, which she's ok with atm, but she does look forward to do something much more exciting than that. Free spirits won't be happy cooped up like a chicken in some pompous office. They'll instead have some chickens themselves, let them toddle about free and sell their eggs for money. Nothing wrong with that at all.

Easier to chop and change when younger. It becomes harder when you're older, as the incoming money for what you do, no matter how boring it may be, becomes a priority to feed the family.

 

Thank you.

 

That's a large part of the reason I quit.

And this too as that was the next step up for me and I really didn't fancy it.


That's my problem and pretty much what I'll be doing, metaphorically speaking.

True but it's never too late and anything is possible, you just have to want it enough and put your mind to it.

 

Grass is rarely greener on the other side of the fence because some other **** has been chewing it before you. Some great points made by previous posters.

Oddly I wondered about changing from medicine to law - ie medicolegal. The more I delved into it the more I decided against it. Just a different set of frustrations.

 

...yet preferences change over the years, and people get bored of what they've been doing, day in and day out.....year after year. But one has to weigh the options whether to go for what's more satisfying or what actually pays the bills. Sadly, bills do take priority when it comes to the crux.

Yes, because imo this sort of change for you i.e. a cross between Medicine and Law doesn't sound as radically different, yet it may bring in fresh and stimulating variety to it, with the Law aspect. You have spoken in past about getting into car mechanics/ automotive industry etc. Now that is quite radical, due to the exceptional differences. But I don't know how financially fulfilling it will be, in compare to your Medicine career.

I say 'radical' because sometimes it's the radical jumping that people dream of. Some can pursue that, but some are too tied due to their existing and self-inflicted/self-created responsibilities.

Kid's boyfriend is doing some further studies on the endangered iguana as part of his job, after his degree in Zoology. He travels to Mexico and Caribbean every so often, soaks sun, chases iguanas over there and chills out. Now this is a very satisfying and fun career in my eyes. He may never earn as much as their farmer would-be medical doctor peer who may end up inventing a vaccine against Ebola, but at least the Zoology kid is happy with what he does; for now, anyway. As I say, sky is the limit when you're young.

 

Yup, did 10 years metalwork fabrication, moved into an office doing estimating, did that for 10 years and was made unemployed so then I went and work in banking for a 2.5 years period doing processing and then management, then went back into estimating...

Never be afraid.

 

I've considered this too, medical indemnity or defence. Or a completely different area of law completely. But you're right, as I alluded to previously, grass isn't always greener!

 

I like what Ditch has said though.its about sanity.And we only have one shot..

Brilliant posts people .thank you

 

Well on the one shot thing, my dad was dying of cancer at the same time and it really did put life and the fact we're not really here that long into perspective, it's easy to use the excuses of life getting in the way or money,family etc.

My sanity was certainly at risk then I reached my tipping point where I could just not face going to work again, I was dressed for work literally pacing the kitchen, then I just said to myself I don't want this anymore and I don't need the money as I was pretty well set up financially so I made the call and quit.

Now that I think back I know I was having a bit of a melt down over my dad but I'm glad it pushed me over the edge, strange how things go and it takes a major life event to shake one into consciousness, every cloud has a silver lining and all that.

 

Blimey Ditch :-(

I don't need to work for a couple of years if need be.But you've inspired me.

Thanks 👍

 

I'm all good now mate and I've got my dads recipes and record collection for when I'm feeling down, nothing quite like curry goat and a bit of Bob Marly to make me feel good.