The national Job Security Index has been going down for a few months now, so it’s time for some of us to get worried.

–Ken–

Having the time to write a novel or travel the world generally comes at or near retirement (unless you win the lottery or have tremendous early success) - after one earns the right to live comfortably and be in pursuit of their dreams.

It used to be that you had the four years you went to college to finally figure out what you want to do with your life, so that when you graduate you go about the business of doing what you were taught to do. I know if either of my kids EVER came to me after the six figure investment I made in their future and said "Gee, I don't really know what I want to do with my life", I would immediately tell them they can come back home, work retail, or whatever they can do to earn a living - TO PAY ME BACK MY WASTED TUITION MONEY.

The bigger problem though is a practical one. While workers may want "flexibility", time to dream, etc., business still has to be done during regular business hours. Absent a workforce committed to continuing this, nothing would ever get done.

And as for being worth what you think you are worth - hogwash. You are worth what your resume verifiably can demonstrate you have actually ACCOMPLISHED.

Keep dreaming. No company with a desire to grow and survive will ever let Generation Slacker dictate the terms of their employment.

In my younger days,I had the intense, ever present need for cash to support my family and education. Nothing else mattered!
I chose to wait tables because I got "paid" every day. The fact that I was an introvert with no self confidence and hated having to meet people did not matter. All that mattered was getting paid. Ironically, I learned the most from the years I spent waiting tables. And that is the best you can hope for from an awful job (besides eating regular meals and the ability to pay the rent). Below I offer my most significant realizations about awful jobs:

a. I learned that when there is a need we can do almost anything that we wouldn't do ordinarily. (E.g. Cleaning up after an elderly person who has just regurgitated his spaghetti, meatballs, breadsticks, merlot, and spumoni so that you can be sat another table in your section)

b. I learned that I can change. Now I am not nearly so introverted, in fact, people actually think I am extroverted.

c. Service oriented jobs teach you about people, period!

d. You are only worth what you are perceived to bring to the organization.

e. You are only "working" if your boss (the customer) sees/knows what you are doing on his or her behalf. Hint, communication and subtle self-promotion are often skills acquired on the job.

f. You are only worth what you think you are worth. No one will pay you what you deserve unless you ask for it. Hint, be prepared to leave.

g. Don't get too comfortable. It becomes difficult to leave, even a terrible job, once you've gotten really good at it.

Love & Gratitude,
Tina
Think Simple. Be Decisive.
~ Productivity, Motivation & Happiness

Great post. I loved your story about Esther Williams! Suzanne has great tips on sticking to your field and working at it. Later in life, you will reap the benefits.

- John

And I guess the same could apply to any crappy job. There are always the personalities, as long as you can detach from them.

It's like the army. Low pay, chance of getting shot—the only upside is the incredible camaraderie of the troops.

Same thing goes for retail (and other crappy) jobs. It's all about the people.

WOW - in response to Ross. When I got my BS in Civil Engineering there was a hiring freeze where I wanted to work - so I got a job taking phone orders at Williams-Sonoma for about a year - then I finally got a position at an engineering company in SF.

The W-S job taught me a lot about people and life and ever since then I think everyone should have a service sector job at least once in their life - if only to learn how to not talk down to others who they deem below them.

I have continued to work in and evolve in my profession.

And as for not considering people who do things outside of their career as "potential" employees…you would deny someone an opportunity for employment - if they met your qualifications - just because they took 6 months off from work to follow a non-work related dream?

Not everyone follows the same path.