Opinion Poll About Dislikes

Thanks for your response. I have heard of that book and since the library is only 2 minutes away, I will look it up the next time I visit.

I can identify with you. I have known many people who knew what they wanted to do since high school or college and have done well in their chosen fields. Over the last 40 years, if have been traveling in circles. If you feel you are creative, you at least have something to get started with. Maybe the job you seek isn't really working for someone else, but something you invent to help others. You should see if you can get a copy of Martha Beck's book that I mentioned before. It is extremely practical and I think usefull for getting a handle on the path you should follow.

"Finding Your Own North Star"

Whcih book by Martha Beck are you referring to? I don't see anything about it here, so instead of looking everywhere for it, I tought I'd just ask you.

Hi Sig, OK, I'm waking up a bit. And, I see that you are floundering, and that it is frustrating you. Well, that's never fun! Though, we've all been there at some point in our lives. There's at least some comfort in that, eh? So, you're struggling with your life's purpose? Wow, it doesn't get much deeper than that, my friend. I think the suggestion for "The Purpose Driven Life" might be very helpful. There's also a great career workbook called "What color is Your Parachute", which can be very helpful. Have you ever had your Natal Chart done? That might give you some ideas about your inherent and perhaps undeveloped talents. And, then ... there's the "Ben Franklin Closing Technique". Grab yourself a couple of clean sheets of paper & a pencil. Draw a line down the middle of the first sheet. Label the left side of the column with "Likes", and the right side with "Dislikes". On the second sheet, create the same two columns. Label the left as "Strengths" and the right as "Weaknesses". Don't be surprised if you find that you list some, or many of the same characteristics as both strengths & weaknesses. If you do, those are key points to focus on! Regarding strengths/weaknesses: Don't focus on abilities, rather on characteristics and things you do. For example: Strengths: curiosity, and reading. Weaknesses: Can't help but correct people's grammar when it's wrong. In the above example, perhaps the person should pursue an editing career. Then, you can mix & match your strenghts/weaknesses with your likes & dislikes. As a personal example, many years ago I recognized my own tremendous weakness at paying attention to details. I absolutely hated the seemingly insignificant stuff. Yet, I realized that that personality weakness was a big disadvantage in the business world. So, I decided to open myself up for the grueling effort to take details more seriously. When I did, I was offered a job that many thought was beneath me. Within a short while I had overcome my details weakness, and was able to turn that job into exactly the kind of job I was best suited for. I've been there going on a decade now, and really like it -- though I hated the first 6 months or so. The moral of the story is that finding one's niche can sometimes come by way of a back door. Another issue is that many people start down a career/life path early in life, then never meander from that kind or type of path. Doing so can make discerning our talents a great challenge. I have suggested to many floundering folks that they take a job with a Temp Agency In fact, I did this myself years ago. I was dispatched to all manner and kind of business. I was offered full-time positions with many of them. I garnered a great education in the practical realities of what I did, and did not wish to do. Oh, and by the way, the job that I referenced above -- my current job, it was the result of that experience with Temp Agencies. I became friends with a woman who owns one of the temp agencies I worked for. One day while we were having lunch, I described for her what the 'perfect job' for me would be. And, jokingly suggested that if it ever came across her desk that I would appreciate a phone call. Then, one day out of the blue, I got that call. As it turns out, I did not get the job, because I was told that I was overqualified for it. They hired someone else, who didn't work out. So, I was called back for a second interview, and violá -- the rest is history. I am now their principle trainer, and am poised to buy out the owner when he's ready to retire. So, while your working on your internal 'stuff', it is very helpful to broaden your horizons, and increase your contact base. Anyway, this is getting crazy long. I only hope that it's somewhat helpful to you. I'll leave it there, and wish you great fortune as you endeavor to answer that age-old, mystifying question about our purpose in life.

Hey Sig, Yup, thank goodness for peanut butter. I love it too! And yes, there is a certain comfort that comes from savoring a spoonful here and there. I'm going to recommend three other books. Not so much for career direction, rather to possibly help you to begin a new chapter in your life. The first is: "The Courage to Create" by Rollo May. This one will help to get the manifestation/creative juices flowing. The second is "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey. If I told you how much colored highlighting appears in my copy, you would simply not believe me! And the third is: "Keys to Success: The 17 Principles of Personal Achievement" by none other than Napolean Hill. These three powerhouse books really helped me to formulate a life plan, and truly develop the traits of success. But, I didn't just read them -- I lived & breathed them! No joke! It all started by stumbling upon a copy of Napolean Hill's "Think & Grow Rich". The traits of success apply to virtually all types of endeavors: business as well as personal. So, as you do your soul-searching, adding a bit of learning can't hurt. Plus, you already like to learn. So, how 'bout learning how to define, then grow into your definition of success? If I sound kinda' hokey here, it's not intentional. I just know, down to the core, that you deserve to be happy & contented with your life. Knowledge IS power. So, I hope you can spend some time (OK alot of time) with these gifted authors/motivators. It was sure an invaluable use of time for me!

Thanks Luna for such a detailed reply. I know of some of the resources you mentioned. I agree, that you have a specific talent for educating and motivating. Your work history is the exact kind of thing that dreams are made of. You came upon work (job) through a friend and look at where you are now. You are about to own the business. You basically knew the kind of job you wanted and like magic it appeared (well almost). I mean that sincerely. I am sure that it hasn't all been a bed of roses, but you certainly deserve to be where you are. I recall in the early 90's reading that book about the parachute thing a few times. There were new versions every so often. I could never get much out of those books. I would go to the library and look through some government occupational listings, you know where they list hundreds of job titles, and it would frustrate me to no end. I could not even pick a job title or description that really interested me. Even today, if you told me I could have any one of those jobs, I could not come up with anything I would truly enjoy (or nothing that get me excited). I cannot even decide what color I like best. If you gave me $35,000 and told me to go buy a new vehicle, I could not decide which one to buy. I really do not want to work a regular type of job. Anyway, at my age, I am limited to burger flipping and store greeter. I don't have any "office type skills" and corporations are usually looking to layoff the older crowd. I am currently working on inventing my own sources of income. After about 6 years, I have totally failed in that regard. Except maybe for the $10 I get from Mylot every 6 months...lol. No joke. I had work that paid over 55 grand a year, but never really liked doing it. I thought I knew what I really wanted to do and have been trying to create an income doing that for the last several years. It is not so much going out and making tons of money as it is doing something that you find joy in and that has potential for you to excel at. I think I have no idea of what it takes to be excellent at something. And I feel that it is useless to be doing work that you cannot excel at doing. I have wasted the last 40 years doing just that. Waking up to that reality every morning is not pleasant, unless I can put it out of my mind and focus on the present. So, I am expecting after the first of the year to go back into the work world and earn paupers wages. I will be barely making ends meet. I have to support myself somehow. It has been a wreck of a life when you are nearing 60 and cannot even provide the basics for yourself. I know I am sounding really distressed. But I am still breathing, I have a cup of coffee and a bowl of oatmeal flavored with cinnamon and a spoonful of peanut butter. If it weren't for peanut butter, I don't know where I would be. It has become my best friend. Amazing what hope and joy can be found in dipping into a jar of peanut butter. And the good thing is that I have not put on any weight. lol. I am very happy that you stopped by and took the time to write such gifted thoughts. It is inspiring to know that things are working out well for you and that means maybe there is hope for me. I don't know, but sometimes I think dinosaur wrestling might have been my call. Wrong place, wrong time...lol Cheers.

Thanks for your ideas. I believe you will see your granddaughter again, and that it will work out for the best.