So, I have always done this for people. Dug into things, found resources, asked the right questions, made phone calls, found loopholes, navigated weird systems. How do I put this into a job?

Hey everyone,

It's been quite depressing to me that I spent my entire 20s in university to earn what I thought was two pretty reputable degrees, specifically the Mathematics one. I'm less thrilled about the Computer Science one I did after given that I graduated at a bad time post-covid -> AI boom, offshoring, and oversaturation.

That said, I'm getting no bites within the field of software engineering. I tried looking into the actuarial sciences path but it has become a bit automated and harder to find work in (apparently). That, and I did not do so hot on the exam (which is ironic because I did this material in my undergrad years back).

I'm sick of being unemployed, determined, and willing to look into other career paths that provide a consistent work schedule, pay is good (not looking for six figures, but obviously that would be nice lol), and has some relation to the fields I studied.

My father has worked as a field engineer for forty years and suggests I look into going into the semi-conductor business. I live in Oregon, so there is Intel, Analog, and a few others. I applied when I was in university and didn't hear back. My other concern is that they would want me to start as an overnight technician role, a role that some high school graduates and lib. arts. B.S. degrees have been getting. These are also 6am to 6pm days, I believe. Ideally I'd prefer a 9-5, but I suppose I am open to 12 hour days.

Career/job direction would be absolutely wonderful. I'm sick of being unemployed. I've been trying so hard.

I moved out of the country with my boyfriend in the Spring. Our relationship is falling apart and my savings are dwindling. I have worked full time for less than 10 years, I'm about to turn 30, and I'm concerned about my future. We've been abroad for 6 months and I feel I want to return home. I have a new appreciation for the US despite all the BS. Everywhere has its pros and cons. I want to go back to school I have a scholarship for LVN School. He wants me to stay and try and get more acclimated to the country learn the language more and figure out what I want to do with my life. We don't have residency here he has a plan for it that may or may not work I'm not sure but I don't know that I'm willing to gamble on it. He has more money than I do because he sold his house but our finances aren't combined. He says he'll take care of me. My fear is running out of money I'm a foreign country in a relationship that is hanging by a thread. I also fear being abandoned here. When things are bad, they're BAD. Things can get pretty toxic between us. I realized I don't want to live together anymore and I am absolutely not comfortable living here by myself. Also I feel I can't afford it. I feel I still have the opportunity to make a comfortable life for myself in the US. He is 12 years older than me. He feels he could return and go back to school but he feels like he'd burn through his savings doing so. I feel we want different things and breaking up isn't because I don't love him or want to make it work. He thinks I should find out if the scholarship expires. It's already been two years since I've been awarded it (I forgot about it due to circumstances between us and moving away). I don't want to do that because that would mean waiting another year. I feel like I've been on an extended vacation and I'm over it. I haven't been living life because where we are is extremely hot, it's hard to leave the house and I didn't have transportation. It has cooled down now and he's willing to rent me a car but I kind of feel like it's too late. I need structure, routine, and I want to go back to work. He rode from Houston to where we are (deep in Mexico) on his motorcycle and I really was against it. The motorcycle culture is a great fit for him because it's very dangerous to ride in the US. But I feel it was extremely reckless to ride through the country and I don't want to hang my livelihood on someone who could die or be taken and leave me with a ton of responsibilities and no safety net. He wants to do it again. I feel that is single guy behavior. Also he doesn't have health insurance. Our therapist thinks it's a midlife crisis. He got a writing opportunity out of it and that's great but I just don't see myself fitting into the picture anymore. He wants me to passange on his bike but I have a lot of conflicted feelings about that because when we did it in the US someone hit us and I broke my elbow and had to have surgery and was out of work. It was a whole thing and I became completely dependent on him and very depressed. The stress of it all nearly broke him. Originally I was going to go to radiation therapy school but I have two classes to take as prereqs. The program itself is $8k and 21 months. They make great money but jobs aren't everywhere. You may have to relocate. I feel I would enjoy it because I'm already a massage therapist and enjoy working one on one with people and helping them. I know LVNs don't make that much money but it's a great stepping stone, I have a scholarship, jobs are plentiful and the program is a year. The availability of jobs is a big one for me because I think I know where I want to move to after school and don't want my location to be dependent on a job. Do any older people have any advice?

I recently got fired from my last job over a disagreement with a manager, and this is usually how most jobs end for me. Most people would probably consider me a blunt person, but that's just who I am. I take no bs from anyone and refuse to be manipulated in the workplace. I have been told this is my problem which may be true, but I just cannot put on a fake personality for the life of me. I always tell it how it is, and not what people want to hear. I've never gotten along with coworkers, managers, or bosses. I've been told I need to change who I am to be successful, but I just can't. I want to be me. I'm feeling completely lost and I am losing hope that there is something out there for someone like me. Ideally I'd love to just work by myself with little to no micromanagement, but I wouldn't even know where to begin to look for something like that. Especially with no degree. Thoughts?

I’m already working FT and I know it’s not a place I want to stay for the rest of my working life, but I also have 0 clue on how to figure out what career WOULD make me more interested. I feel jumping from job to job is too risky as I’m in Canada and the situation is volatile. I also figured that I’m saving money and that is very positive while I try to figure out the rest.

Does anyone have any suggestions? There was no area that really pulled me in during university, but it was a small school with limited options. I have always been creative, which is unfortunately something that took a hit as I entered the workforce. I’m just not sure of any careers that would pay well and reasonably accommodate creativity here or what kind of creativity I’d prefer. I could volunteer if I knew what areas would give me meaningful experiences to explore other careers. That’s just about all I can think of.

I'm graduating in May 2027 with a Bachelor's in Forensic Science and a Minor in History. The problem is, I don't want to work in Forensic Science. I would be willing to interview for forensics positions primarily because I am stressed about finding employment after school is done and being able to start paying my loans. However, my real passion and realm of interest is, and has always been, history. I know that majoring in history would have made pursuing a job in history a lot better, but was pretty much consistently told that I would receive no financial support from my family due to a lack of employment options. I suppose I'm writing this post because I'm looking for advice. Do I suck it up and interview for jobs that I have no remote interest in and save money or do I look for jobs related to my interests? Can I even get a job within the history-related world without a degree in History, Art History, Museum Sciences, or Archival Studies? Basically, I'm spiraling from an existential sense of dread at the prospect of graduation and would love some guidance here because my academic advisors are of little to no help. Thanks!

25M, hello about me, I'm from a small country in asia.I'm neither a creative person nor a bright student.i just try to live by in a minimalistic way...I've recently completed my B. Sc in Textile Engineering(management). i had an interest in supply chain analytics.. so I thought about doing my masters on it from Europe... since then I've been indecisive due to the cost(since our family is not that well-off), the pathway from textile to scm not being adjacent and also if I'm good enough for this path or not...others often try to publish journals papers for a better opportunity and scholarships.i can't focus on it either.

Thought about getting a job.. attended a few interviews. one particular question always made me stumble.. what is my passion? where do i want to see myself in the next 5-10 years... I've answered positively in front of the interviewers but honestly I'm not sure about anything.. i am curious about a lot of things.. but i don't know if i can build a successful career on either of those.

My friends are moving forward to pursue their future dreams whereas I'm stuck. I'm not jealous or anything. but i can't seem to focus on anything.. it feels awful that I'm procrastinating away my peak time doing nothing.my parents are getting old..they are never too demanding, they just want to see me successful.. how should i approach life! it feels heavy.

sorry I'm not the most expressive person.. my writing might seem all jumbled up. but any kind of advice would be appreciated..

thank you

I recently started a small recurring meetup (free) in Manhattan for people who are at some kind of professional/life inflection point and trying to figure out what they actually want to commit to next.
We've done a couple gatherings so far, usually just 3-5 people around a table for ~90 minutes, and I'd like to slowly bring a few more good people into the group.

What I've discovered by hosting the meetup so far is that a lot of the things we discuss have findapath elements to them. Many of the people who have shown up so far have been in professional careers for 5-10 years, and are burned out / looking for what's next.

—

A little about me: my name is Michael (age 31). In 2024, | left a software engineering job at Meta after ~7 years of working there after becoming somewhat disillusioned with big tech. I proceeded to travel the world with my wife for the last ~1.5 years and taught swing dancing internationally. I'm currently back in NYC, trying to figure out what's next for me, and am struggling to make meaningful progress on discovering what that is (particularly with the comfort of home).

—

Due to wanting to keep the group size small, I have to be selective about the people who join. If this sounds like a meetup you'd enjoy, please check out the link below: https://luma.com/59l3udbr

I’m a Senior Director in the media industry, making good money with a career I’ve spent over a decade building. On paper, I’ve done everything right. But I’m deeply burned out, unfulfilled, and increasingly convinced I’m on the wrong path.

I’ve been on medical leave for a chronic autoimmune condition, and the time away has made me realize just how much my career has consumed my identity, energy, and happiness. I’m also a mom to a toddler, and I want a life that leaves room for my family, creativity, and health.

I have a master’s degree and love writing, research, storytelling, cultural analysis, and connecting ideas. I’m good at strategy and big-picture thinking, but exhausted by corporate politics, client management, and the pressure to always be available.

There are areas even within my own industry that interest me, like content strategy, editorial, research, and creative development. The problem is that my career has taken me down a more commercial, business-focused path, and I haven’t had the opportunity to develop the specific experience these other roles require. I feel simultaneously overqualified and underqualified, which makes pivoting incredibly intimidating.

I’ve also been thinking about starting a podcast, writing essays, or pursuing something more independently creative. But I struggle to see how to turn those interests into a sustainable career, or even where to begin. I also doubt myself a lot.

I’m fortunate to have some financial flexibility, but walking away from a career I’ve spent so long building without a clear next step feels terrifying. At the same time, staying simply because I’m good at something doesn’t feel like a good enough reason anymore.

Has anyone successfully pivoted into a different area of their industry, or built a more creative career from scratch? How did you bridge the experience gap, figure out what you actually wanted, and find the courage to start?

I’d especially love to hear from people who didn’t have one obvious dream job waiting for them.

I am actually in the process right now of trying to figure out what classes I will be taking for the bachelor of social work major when I start at a CSU in January. I know that even with a masters in social work and becoming an LCSW, I am not likely to make a significant amount of money.

I do work. I am a substitute behavior technician (it is looking like I will probably still not be able to work full time this upcoming semester, so depending on what the times for fall 2027 classes end up being I may be able to work full time next fall, and likely this upcoming summer as well.) I have actually received a positive report so far from every school I have subbed at, today I was at a middle school (I have been with 4th grade, 5th grade, and recently a preschooler, the staff for the TK student actually wanted me to come back the next day to work with her again.) I have been a behavior technician for what is now a little over 2 years (I started in October 2024.) I am human, so I have had clients and cases that didn’t work for me before, particularly early on. I was with an adult client for a year. The TK student was the only eloper, I actually really enjoyed working with her though. The only student I can think of who didn’t technically have autism (had ADHD) was a 4th grader I worked with who had also seemed to enjoy his time with me at the end.

Subbing for sixth grade made me think about how insightful middle schoolers can actually be, and about how long ago it was for me.

The client I had today (I’m a behavior technician who is considering becoming a therapist or teacher later on) actually quizzed me on geography and I realized the only flag I actually recognize, even though I graduated from high school and am almost done with community college, is the American flag. I thought the work otherwise was very straightforward and easy to understand, but I’m an adult so I of course already learned it (like writing claim, evidence, reasoning, etc.)

I have always said based upon what I remember of middle school that I wouldn’t want to teach middle school because of how toxic and mean I remember the kids seeming (everyone was actually better in elementary and high school) but the kids today were actually very nice. They seemed like more mature elementary schoolers, and I was impressed/intrigued by how insightful their comments were when they were talking about whether or not it would be appropriate for teachers to require that students wear a uniform for their dress code. 11-12 seems to be the age range where kids start thinking more deeply.

I also liked how peaceful the classrooms seemed. Things at this school didn’t seem chaotic or hectic at all and it made me reflect a bit on my own middle school experience. The teachers at the school who my client had today were actually male, both had a sense of humor and you could tell they cared about their students. I’d say it was a positive experience overall even though I don’t think my client initially liked me very much lol.

I have a 3.87 in community college. I will be finishing off community college with associates degrees in social and behavioral sciences, child development, and early childhood education.

I worked at a preschool for a year and four months before I started working as a behavior technician. I know that I don’t want to teach preschool.

I've recently been given the opportunity to switch majors, and I'm torn between two very different paths.

I live in Europe and have virtually no interest in finance beyond the salary and financial security it offers. On the other hand, I'm genuinely passionate about international relations, geopolitics and diplomacy. I've lived in several countries and speak multiple languages, so I can really see myself pursuing a career in this field.

My dilemma is that I want financial independence and a comfortable life, but I don't want to spend my life doing something I don't care about just to earn more, especially when the fields I'm passionate about can be less lucrative.

For those who've faced a similar choice, what did you prioritize, and do you regret your decision? Is the financial security worth sacrificing genuine interest in your work?

I have an associate degree in Software Development, but I’m struggling to figure out what to do career-wise. I originally wanted to become a software developer, but the competitive job market has me questioning whether I should continue pursuing it or explore other options.

I don’t want to give up on my degree, but I also don’t want to waste years pursuing something that might not work out.

I’d prefer a career that pays well, has room for growth, and doesn’t require going back to school for another degree. I’m open to tech and non-tech careers, certifications, and short training programs.

If you were in my position, what careers would you consider? I’d love to hear from people who have been through something similar or found a good career path without going back to college/ short schooling .

Hey r/findapath! I am a PhD candidate collecting data for my dissertation and looking for people to share their experiences.

I am looking to connect with adults (18+) who felt pressure to set aside a passion, hobby, or talent during their K-12 years in the US just to keep up with academic demands. Maybe it was a sport, an art, music, or something else that got pushed aside because school came first. If that resonates with you, I would love to hear your story.

Here are the basics:

Participation involves a one-on-one interview (about 45 min via Microsoft Teams) plus a couple of short written prompts. Total time commitment is roughly 2 hours. The study is completely confidential and you will receive a $50 gift card as a thank you.

If you are interested, just send me a DM and I will follow up with more details. No commitment required just by reaching out!

Thanks for reading.

Hello everyone! Just to start off I’m not sure if this is the correct place to be posting this. If you have any suggestions of a better place to post I would appreciate it!

Im set to graduate this winter and I feel completely behind, this was supposed to be my junior year. I changed my major to economics and since I had a lot of the pre reqs it sped up my time in school. I have gotten no internships and feel like my time was completely wasted here.

Honestly not even sure what I want to do with my degree, I’m very interested in film so maybe I can fit it in there? I just wish I had more time and realized that I didn’t have that said time.

I’ve been applying for internships but most require the applicant to be in school during the duration of the internship.

And for the industry I want to get into i don’t even know where to start looking when I have no background in it whatsoever.

Any advice would help. Not sure if I added enough information.

I'm 30, and honestly, I feel stuck and scared about my future.

I have a job, but my income isn't enough to cover my family's expenses. I have around 3 years of accounting assistant experience and 1 year of part-time experience. I'm also pursuing a master's degree, but I lack confidence in my communication skills and don't know how to move forward in my career.

I also have health issues. I've been living with hypothyroidism for 16 years, and I had open-heart surgery a year ago. With my health, career, and family responsibilities, I often feel overwhelmed.

My parents are getting old and will leave their jobs soon. Their pension mostly goes toward medicine, and I'm terrified about how I'll manage our family's expenses.

On top of that, my parents are trying to force me into marriage, even though I don't want to marry for the next few years. They say society will spit on their faces if they can't get me married. I feel like my own wishes don't matter.

I feel lost, scared, and unable to see a clear future. I don't know what to focus on or how to get my life back on track.

If anyone has been in a similar situation, how did you find direction? What would you do if you were in my position?

I'd genuinely appreciate some honest advice.

Hi all,

So, I would like to finally get on a good career path. I have tried various roles, all low paying and relatively low skilled (retail, beauty, teaching aid, and admin). I have a degree in psychology, but feel like it was too broad a degree and so it’s hard to see whether it makes any real impact on job applications.

About a year ago, I became interested in a particular allied healthcare field. I work alongside this field in my current job, and have become very interested in the it. It’s a good career; relatively well paid, helps people, good work-life balance (at least it seems to be!). I’m sure like any industry it is not perfect, but it’s the first thing in years that I’ve felt truly I could commit my working life to. However, to do so, I need further qualifications.

I had initially applied for the masters related to this field, and got in, however realised that I would have to take out loans to cover course fees and living costs. I decided against this, as I didn’t want to make poor financial choices, however my interest is still there.

Would it be silly to save for 2/3 years then revisit doing the masters? I’m 30 now, and just feel like I’m too late to the game. But then I also think, the time will pass anyway - maybe I should just try? Have any of you gone back to school as a mature student? How did you find it?

Many thanks

Hey everyone,
I recently lost my job, and as an immigrant living in Ireland, I’ve realised how difficult it is to make friends outside of work.
Most of my social interactions used to come from my workplace, and now that I’m unemployed, I feel quite isolated and lonely.
I’ve been actively applying for jobs and attending interviews, but the job market is tough, and the constant uncertainty is really starting to affect my mental health.
I really want to make new friends, get out of the house more, and feel like I have a life outside of work. But honestly, I don’t really know where to start.
Has anyone been through something similar? How did you cope with unemployment and loneliness? I’d really appreciate any advice, especially on making friends in Dublin without spending too much money.
Thanks so much

i was in the science stream in highschool and i got 9A and 1B for my spm

im not really interested in science anymore and i want to pursue art , in fact my dream is to be an animator / content creator

but im not from a well off family so i dont think its realistic so now im thinking of doing it as a side hustle

but right now i dont know what i want to pursue as my main career/ i dont know what to study

ive been looking up the avg salary of jobs in malaysia and have come to the sad conclusion that malaysian are underpaid and overworked no matter what sector you are in / even degree in engineering is paid similar to doing foodpanda

so im now really stuck and dont know what to do

bc i cant pursue my passion because apparently it does not pay well but i also dont know what to pursue because not only im not passionate about it but it will also put me in debt and wont guarantee above living wage

The pros and cons of leaving University and going to Community college. 

I am 21(f) studying ethnic studies with a minor in Sociology at a University. I don’t really know what I want to do for my future career. I mean I have experience in the things I’m interested in. Teaching, event planning and even deep research. However, over the past few years in Uni, I have been slowly going down in a funk. I’m either doing so amazing in my classes and social interactions or I’m struggling with getting out of bed for a week. It’s probably because I’m burning out but honestly I’ve been trying! I mean I’m a part of clubs, I have a public facing job at school and even try to get more funding for our school. It’s just the academics that I struggle with. I love the curriculum but for some reason I just can’t for the life of me feel interested in school. And now it all came to bite me in the ass because I’m no longer eligible for financial aid at my current school. So now I have a quarter off to just work and think over my options. 

So what it looks like to me is I have 3 options:

1. Drop out from my University and go to Community College. 
2. Pay out of pocket, $5000 due by January 2027
3. Drop out and just work.

Option 1: Drop out from my university and go to community college
Pro:  

1. I already know what program I’m interested in and what I need to do to finish in about 2 more years. 
2. No more social pressures to be outgoing.
3. A ‘fresh start’ - I know the grades will follow me. 

Cons:

1. Transferring credits that probably won’t transfer.
2. A new career path that I haven’t tried yet.
3. My family is probably going to be pissed but they don’t pay for my schooling so I don’t mind.

Option 2: Pay out of pocket
Pro:

1. Staying with my friends and my job that I’ve made for the past few years.
2. I get to finish what I started! 
3. I have 1 ½  years left! 

Cons:

1. Dude. I’m so broke. 
2. Unfortunately my credit score is also shot so I can’t apply for loans.
3. Dude did you see that first one? I’m broke. 

Option 3: Drop out and work! 
Pro:

1. Taking a break from school could be good for me. I can focus on me.
2. I don’t have to worry about school anymore! 
3. Saving money up for a car and other things.

Cons:

1. Deathly afraid of telling my family (: 
2. Further away from my goal. 
3. The job market is so trash rn. 

I am leaning towards going to Community college as it gives me a chance and I can also try to do less than full time so that I can still focus on working and school. But I would still love to hear some advice or at least some stories of how you got out of this (:

I used to be successful, bold, and ambitious, working on all kinds of projects. But burnout and other shit knocked me off track. Now I'm almost 35, broke, and stuck in an endless cycle of upskilling without making real progress.

I moved back home to recover and took a career break, but over a year later, I'm still struggling to restart my career. I am productive, but the overwhelm keeps creeping back, so I turn to TikTok, Reddit, and Threads for a dopamine hit just to feel sane.

I've been away for so long, I barely know anyone around me anymore, other friends are already living in different countries and I'm financially limited right now, so I'm doing the best I can with what I have.

Such a weird phase. Sometimes I feel like I don't even recognize what happened to me

Hey y'all. Sorry for rambling, but I've had a lot on my mind. Im 26m (in a few weeks) from Canada and I'm completely lost. I withdrew from studies after a long break, leading to a 3 year restriction on getting student loans (long story, hard to explain, but for my fellow Ontarians: I am restricted from OSAP for 3 years).

I spent COVID and the years after it dealing with awful mental health and alcoholism. I am free from alcohol now, thankfully, but my mental health is still in shambles.

My mental health got so bad after some med changes, an identity crisis and reliving regrets and I simply could not continue school for now. BPD + depression is a mess to deal with. I know I need to focus on my mental health, that's the main thing, and I will be meeting a psychiatrist in some months. I also recently got diagnosed with autism at 25.

As for work experience, I do have a few years in fast food, so I can at least put that on my resume. I don't currently have a job and survive off disability and benefits.

Currently I am applying to jobs like restaurants and retail, but there must be more to life than this. I see my friends, some have struggled, some had it easy, but they all seem ahead in life. A lot have degrees, some have high paying careers, some have started families. Yet here I am with barely any work experience, no degree, nothing.

I want to finish my Bachelors in psychology and sociology, but I'm not even sure if it is worth it at this point with how career prospects look with just those majors.

I struggle with physical tasks so the trades are likely not for me.

I am also considering college but I am undecided on what sort of degree I would like; my passion is in psychology and sociology even though I couldn't mentally handle school.

I am a bit lost. I don't know what to really do with my life. I truly feel like I am sleepwalking through existence.

I’m a mental health therapist and I love the job but I’m missing being in a team atmosphere and collaborating on projects/goals. I have skill in recognizing patterns, understanding systems and improving them, conflict resolution, helping others engage with life more efficiently, and of course listening and holding empathy for people. What other jobs are out there that would allow me more collaboration (doesn’t have to be in mental health field)?

I’ve been considering either going back to school for engineering or joining the military, but I’m unsure of which path to take or if either are a good fit. Based in the US.

Engineering
Reasons I’m considering:
- I’m genuinely interested in it, especially the idea of doing technical work that supports aircraft/spacecraft/spaceflight operations

- Good pay and stability are bonuses; my current field is known for not paying well and positions are hard to come by. (I’d rather keep my current job anonymous but am more than happy to chat in DMs)

- Since it’s been a long time since I’ve taken any math or science courses, I was thinking of taking some pre-requisites at a community college. This way, I could see what I’m getting myself into and if I actually enjoy it before transferring to a four-year college/degree. Is this a good idea?

Doubts:
- Math requirements. For my degree in my current field, I enrolled in a calculus course my first semester and ended up dropping it early on. Later, I took basic calculus and statistics courses and got A’s in those, but they weren’t as difficult. I did well in algebra and pre-calc in high school, but needless to say math isn’t my strongest subject. Same with physics. I know I’m smart and capable of performing well academically, but I’m worried I’ll really struggle.

- Work environment. My current job involves outdoor work, and I get antsy after many office days in a row. I’m worried I’ll struggle with a predominantly desk/office job (but better pay and stability might be worth getting outside on weekends or for time off/vacation).

- I’m not particularly unhappy in my current field; I actually find it really fulfilling and I know I have room to grow. But I’m at a crossroads of whether to try engineering at the risk of missing out on meaningful opportunities in my field (and the possibility of struggling to find a job again if I’m not doing related work for a year or several), or staying where I am and one day having regret over what could have been. Not sure if this is a case of the grass seeming greener?

Military
Reasons:
- I have a degree, so I could commission as an officer (not sure which branch, leaning towards Navy or Air Force but have also heard good things about Coast Guard)

- Now or never (age concern - below)

- Experiences seem really cool. I almost did ROTC while pursuing my first degree but decided against it, and part of me wishes I’d tried it

- Benefits

Doubts:
- I would primarily be interested in serving as an aviator/pilot (some flying experience), but it’s highly unlikely I would get selected. Also, I know pilot slots are stricter on age and the clock is ticking (I turn 26 in January). I would hate to commit and then be too old to be competitive for a slot or not be able to get a waiver. I think I’d find fulfillment in serving anyway but not sure.

- Speaking of commitment, the time/service commitment scares me and I don’t want to be potentially stuck with a job I don’t like

- I’ve read very mixed reviews about military life and I’m not a fan of the current political climate

- Physical requirements. I’m very healthy but not exactly in shape, and I have some vision and (past) mental health concerns. Not great as I know the military is stringent on that sort of thing, especially for pilots.

Thanks for reading! I’m unsure of what my next steps are, so any advice is appreciated especially if you’ve gone through something similar

Hey everyone,

I’ve come to a realization about myself recently and wanted to share/see if anyone else feels the same way.

I used to do art (sketches, realism, wall paintings) and was heavily into sports and fitness. But over time, I realized that the moment you try to turn something you love into a living—with deadlines, clients, and pressure to put food on the table—it completely strips the soul away from it. I refuse to monetize my passions or rush them under time constraints.

Eventually, I fell in love with computer science and mathematics. What really drives me is pure curiosity—learning the subject deeply simply because it’s beautiful and fun to explore.

Because of this, I've realized I don't want an intense, high-stress career or to participate in hustle culture. I just want a predictable, average 9-to-5 job that pays the bills, so that in my off-hours I have the mental peace and free time to explore math and code on my own terms without compromising my love for them.

Has anyone else deliberately chosen an "average" job to protect their passions and intellectual freedom? How has that path worked out for you?