aspiring to do something important

[tommo]

I am one of the top students in the physics and mathematics departments at my school. I've always done fairly well in academics. Now my family is getting on my case about doing something important with my life. Here's the problem, I have absolutely no desire to do anything important at all with my life.

I would just take this and run with it. ie: just play poker make money and live a fairly wealthy lifestyle. Except that it seems across the board all the older people I meet think I should do something "important" with my life like changing the world somehow. So I'm a little worried that this is just something that happens when you get older. Maybe you start wishing you could do something important and that you hadn't wasted your youth.

so do you think this is actually the case? (when you get older your desire to do something important increases)

or do you think there are other causes? if so, what could they be?

[tommo]

I guess a corollary to this would be. why do people feel the need to improve the community? Why doesn't everybody just fend for themselves?

[ItalianFX]

Basically, you have the Feeders, Breeders, and Leaders.

Feeders:

Feeders live off of everyone else. They strive to have someone to look to when the going gets tough. They can't do anything for themself because they don't have the initiative to step out of the box. Feeders want something for nothing and give nothing without getting something in return. This type of person is comfortable living day-to-day waiting for the next opportunity to get something without moving off of the couch.

Breeders:

Breeders stay at home and continually have children because "that is their calling in life." They want everything in life, but don't understand why they are struggling. I don't think the five children have anything to do with it. Breeders want to go to college and aspire to do better things in life, but they have to tend to their children. This type of person also wants to get out and have fun, they want to make theirself healthier, but they can't because they keep popping out kids.

Leaders:

Leaders are the foundation of life. They do what it takes to get to their goals. Sacrifice is a daily opportunity to achieve a status that only 10% of the population can ever attain. Success is expected, it is no surprise. Leaders know that you can work hard now to play later, instead of playing now to work hard later. Leaders have the mindset of dedication and discipline that no other person can understand. This type of person is only comfortable if they are risking something for a higher reward. Leaders like to take the first step and be the pioneer to a changing world.


Note: I made this up and didn't put much thought into it. This is more of a joke than anything.

[Blowup Doll]

You can feed on your job and lead in other areas of life. It's simplistic to assume that your job is the only place you can "make a difference".

[toots]

The most important thing you can learn in college is how to say "No" to all those people who think they're in charge of how you run your life.

But yeah, generally speaking, feeling the need to do something meaningful does come with age. I'd say the take-home message there is if you're not feeling it now, continue to be a feeder until you get the urge and have some idea of what it is that you're really passionate about contributing. Trying to do it now, when your heart isn't in it, will ultimately just disappoint everyone.

[toots]

[ QUOTE ]
I guess a corollary to this would be. why do people feel the need to improve the community? Why doesn't everybody just fend for themselves?

[/ QUOTE ]

Because there's a strong evolutionary benefit for those species that prefer to take care of their own.

[ItalianFX]

[ QUOTE ]
You can feed on your job and lead in other areas of life. It's simplistic to assume that your job is the only place you can "make a difference".

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't mean the Feeder feeds on his job. I'm saying the person who wants something for nothing. They try to live on welfare when they don't need it, or apply for unemployment in nonexigent circumstances.

[ItalianFX]

Anybody who is able to sacrifice something for a better future is a leader. Going to college to make yourself a more educated person is a leader, having goals is being a leader.

My post was a joke, in a sense. I felt like doing something creative. When I was reading the OP, it hit me and they all rhymed so I wrote it up.

[dwedeking]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You can feed on your job and lead in other areas of life. It's simplistic to assume that your job is the only place you can "make a difference".

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't mean the Feeder feeds on his job. I'm saying the person who wants something for nothing. They try to live on welfare when they don't need it, or apply for unemployment in nonexigent circumstances.

[/ QUOTE ]

The point trying to be made is that you shouldn't qualify your life based upon your occupation. There is a logical reason to stay with a job due to the financial benefits while deriving your "worth" from other activities. No matter all the good that you can do, the bills need to get paid (volunteering to help kids at the local YMCA does no one any good if it means your homeless on the street, as an example).

[ItalianFX]

[ QUOTE ]

The point trying to be made is that you shouldn't qualify your life based upon your occupation. There is a logical reason to stay with a job due to the financial benefits while deriving your "worth" from other activities. No matter all the good that you can do, the bills need to get paid (volunteering to help kids at the local YMCA does no one any good if it means your homeless on the street, as an example).

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. It would be completely insane for someone to quit a job and become a poker pro playing .5/1 Limit while having to support a family of 4.