Best Advice For A Graduate I've Ever Seen

[Tugg Speedman]

Short 5 minute video from Mike Rowe, host of the show Dirty Jobs.  It is the best advice one could give a college senior.

Worth a look

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVEuPmVAb8o
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/CVEuPmVAb8o" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/CVEuPmVAb8o</a>

[brandx]

His advice could create a whole new generation of Dilberts.

[real chili 83]

His advice could create a whole new generation of Dilberts.

?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Yea I didn't do four years of undergrad and grad school to do trade work, thanks.

That's such BS, I will never enjoy something just because I'm good at it. I don't care if I'm broke but I'll be dammed if I'm miserable doing a job that sucks/I hate.

[real chili 83]

Yea I didn't do four years of undergrad and grad school to do trade work, thanks.

That's such BS, I will never enjoy something just because I'm good at it. I don't care if I'm broke but I'll be dammed if I'm miserable doing a job that sucks/I hate.

Friend, you are clueless.

[Tugg Speedman]

Yea I didn't do four years of undergrad and grad school to do trade work, thanks.

That's such BS, I will never enjoy something just because I'm good at it. I don't care if I'm broke but I'll be dammed if I'm miserable doing a job that sucks/I hate.

If you think he was telling you to do trade work, you "just don't get it."

[Benny B]

You have to be pretty shortsighted to tell someone to follow their dreams since only the blind actually take the advice.

[jsglow]

Yea I didn't do four years of undergrad and grad school to do trade work, thanks.

That's such BS, I will never enjoy something just because I'm good at it. I don't care if I'm broke but I'll be dammed if I'm miserable doing a job that sucks/I hate.

Chitown, you're a great kid.  But the best most of us ever get is that subtle satisfaction of a job well done and a sense of respect from our colleagues for doing it the 'right way'.  And when you can afford to take your kids on vacation and have some spare time to coach grade school soccer, that's about as good as it gets.  No one ever tells you to 'settle' and striving for more be it personal or professional is always good.  But don't set the bar so high that you can't find happiness.  Cause life is damn short.

[HouWarrior]

This presentation makes accurate, wise and good substantive points.

I agree with it...but might have tweaked it for better effect for the intended listener.

If this was geared to be heard by college grads it shouldn't surprise that they dont get it or receive well its message. To them it sounds like shock talk, and they likely miss the point of the real advice.

Put your self in the grad's chair.

You are at a point of education, training and no real experience ....here is a guy analogizing to the near lottery crazy hopes/dreams of american idol ....a TV show contestant isnt someone you relate to...heck you didnt stand in line and play the long odds of a TV show...you worked at years of education. (Listener thinks...thats not me....then stops listening/receiving his related real point)

Sure Septic millionaires and tradesman of all ilks are to be respected and they pursue what they do with happiness and passion.....but again the listener thinks ....well again thats not me ...I hope to take this education to enter another field...no disrespect to the trades... but again heck,....thats not me

Talking of a college grad pursuing the dream job ....well thats closer to home ...and as Rowe notes....I am painfully aware it may be tough  to land where I hope to....that's not new information to me, at all .

So what is this guy saying to me anyway?

Those in a grad's  chair by this point will have dismissed the messenger and his message may miss many grads

...even if the rest of us get it.

Chitown,.....

 we olders get what he is saying...and there is wisdom.

Try watching it again pretending you are an old life veteran....dont try to personalize his poorly planned analogies  to yourself...Consider kindness to the speaker....he isnt coming at you as a college grad peer or through your thinking methods; but such is not even close to a reason to stop listening to the substance.

Just ignore the distracting analogies and instead take in the objective points .....substantively it actually is good advice

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Fair, didnt comprehend it fully time first time through. Was distracted doing some work at the same time.

I still dont like the idea of nor pursuing passions. Lets be real, most people realize theyre not going to be a professional athlete or a pop star pretty early on. I just feel like its really silly to tell people, dont reach for your goals, just be satisfied by a job well done, which is silly.

[vogue65]

MY DIRTY JOB LIST THAT PAYS WELL:  undertaker, soldier, dentist, dermatologist, nursing home staff/manager, plumber, beautician, small business owner, autobody shop, garbage collection, or selling life insurance.

[GGGG]

Fair, didnt comprehend it fully time first time through. Was distracted doing some work at the same time.

I still dont like the idea of nor pursuing passions. Lets be real, most people realize theyre not going to be a professional athlete or a pop star pretty early on. I just feel like its really silly to tell people, dont reach for your goals, just be satisfied by a job well done, which is silly.

For most people, what they are good at earning money at, and what their "passions" are, are two different things.  I could never make money doing what I am most passionate about.  However the money I earn from my profession allows me to pursue those passions.

That certainly doesn't mean I don't like my profession.  I enjoy it very much.

[martyconlonontherun]

Isn't this the guy who spent his whole life pursuing acting gigs, pitching stuff on tv and not doing any 'real' work for a day in his life? And he wants us to do blue collar jobs? He can F-off.



(I actually agree with his advice but find him a phoney)

[Tugg Speedman]

For most people, what they are good at earning money at, and what their "passions" are, are two different things.  I could never make money doing what I am most passionate about.  However the money I earn from my profession allows me to pursue those passions.

That certainly doesn't mean I don't like my profession.  I enjoy it very much.

 This

 What we are good at and what we are passionate about our often not the same thing. You should learn to pursue what you're good at and not what you're passionate about.

 Think Wally Ellenson.  He is good at the high jump but passionate about basketball. Would he be better served trying to pursue a career as a professional track athlete Then a struggling basketball player?

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Good piece - to a point of course. 

To flip to the other extreme , I am a firm believer that if you 'hate' what you do you can't be successful as it impacts job performance, engagement, etc.  So what he said about being good at what you do, finding satisfaction and in some cases becoming passionate despite preconceived notions about the job are very important.

A leader I worked near in a past life had something called the Sunday 5PM test.  If you are consistently dreading your week at Sunday at 5PM, then you need to seriously consider doing something else or working in a new environment.  A smart indicator of satisfaction which IMO is more important than 'passion'.

[Benny B]

Actually, in my own self-interest, I'm going to start telling everyone under 20 to pursue their passion at all costs because that means that my kids - whose passions, hopes and dreams I will have crushed by the time they graduate college - will be highly in demand.

 

[mreezybreezy]

Isn't this the guy who spent his whole life pursuing acting gigs, pitching stuff on tv and not doing any 'real' work for a day in his life? And he wants us to do blue collar jobs? He can F-off.



(I actually agree with his advice but find him a phoney)

He wanted to be a tradesman growing up but realized he didn't have the skill. He found that he was an effective communicator in the Boy Scouts and in college, so he used those skills to land acting/performing work. Now he leverages the audience he has to communicate that there are tons of jobs in the trades that are going unfilled. Doesn't strike me as phoney at all.

[Babybluejeans]

Chitown, you're a great kid.  But the best most of us ever get is that subtle satisfaction of a job well done and a sense of respect from our colleagues for doing it the 'right way'.  And when you can afford to take your kids on vacation and have some spare time to coach grade school soccer, that's about as good as it gets.  No one ever tells you to 'settle' and striving for more be it personal or professional is always good.  But don't set the bar so high that you can't find happiness.  Cause life is damn short.

Life is short indeed. That's why it's better to swing the bat and go for it, as Chitown suggested. Many of us younger folks have sought and chosen different ways of doing things for good reason: incorporating passion into our work, and being rewarded for it, is not impossible (in fact it's more possible today than ever). And, ideally, one can find contentment and meaning in the very "striving" to meet whatever high bar one has set for himself--think of Joseph Campbell and the dark wood and all that--rather than needing to give up the striving in order to find fulfillment.

I've seen a lot of friends never earnestly pursue their dreams and it's heartbreaking to see the spark that propelled them in college be slowly extinguished.

[Coleman]

For most people, what they are good at earning money at, and what their "passions" are, are two different things.  I could never make money doing what I am most passionate about.  However the money I earn from my profession allows me to pursue those passions.

That certainly doesn't mean I don't like my profession.  I enjoy it very much.

Well said. I enjoy history and international travel. I studied history and education at MU. I thought I would be a teacher. I ended up not enjoying teaching, it was a short-lived career.

I now have a completely unrelated corporate job that pays well and allows me to travel internationally for leisure every year or two. I have plenty of time to read and pursue my passion outside of work.

I do enjoy what I do. If I hated it I would do something else. But it is not the end all be all...it is simply a job I enjoy... And it allows me to spend time doing things I love.

[Tugg Speedman]

Life is short indeed. That's why it's better to swing the bat and go for it, as Chitown suggested. Many of us younger folks have sought and chosen different ways of doing things for good reason: incorporating passion into our work, and being rewarded for it, is not impossible (in fact it's more possible today than ever). And, ideally, one can find contentment and meaning in the very "striving" to meet whatever high bar one has set for himself--think of Joseph Campbell and the dark wood and all that--rather than needing to give up the striving in order to find fulfillment.

I've seen a lot of friends never earnestly pursue their dreams and it's heartbreaking to see the spark that propelled them in college be slowly extinguished.

Passion without talent = hobby

[Badgerhater]

My advice is don't be so focused on what one thinks is their passion that they don't pay attention to other aspects of their life/career, etc.  Sometimes it is those things that open one's eyes to what they truly enjoying doing.

[HouWarrior]

Life is short indeed. That's why it's better to swing the bat and go for it, as Chitown suggested. Many of us younger folks have sought and chosen different ways of doing things for good reason: incorporating passion into our work, and being rewarded for it, is not impossible (in fact it's more possible today than ever). And, ideally, one can find contentment and meaning in the very "striving" to meet whatever high bar one has set for himself--think of Joseph Campbell and the dark wood and all that--rather than needing to give up the striving in order to find fulfillment.

I've seen a lot of friends never earnestly pursue their dreams and it's heartbreaking to see the spark that propelled them in college be slowly extinguished.

Bravo.  Youth is the best. Carpe Diem

Swing for the fences now, try out all your different options , enjoy the successes and appreciate that failure is never to be feared ...its simply a teacher that makes you stronger next time.

Burn the candle at both ends as long as you can...life and your body (or maybe the cops..lol) will let you know soon enough when you have to temper it down.

Sure ....odds are....its still likely that you will find love, family, career, and simple pleasures are in the end plenty enough to fill the happiness basket...but looking back you never never want the greatest regrets to be be the risks you didn't take or the paths someone else talked you away from.

[manny31]

I liked his quote about not pursuing your passion but to make sure to you bring your passion with you. End of the day is it matters what you value. I remember having a discussion in the mid 90's with some girls in San Francisco at a raging party about  being rich, not that I was although I thought I would be some day, and without really thinking about it I said who I thought was the richest guy at the party. This guy has multiple graduate degrees but doesn't qualify as rich by most peoples standards. He is the type of guy that if he needed help there would millionaires and maybe a or two billionaire in line to help him out. Hyperbole, maybe, but not by much. 

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I thought it was sunscreen?

[Badgerhater]

I liked his quote about not pursuing your passion but to make sure to you bring your passion with you.

+1

Heedless pursuit of a passion can easily make one hate it.

I am pretty fortunate in that I work in the private sector directly in the liberal arts degrees (in a subject that I was passionate about) that I have and can avoid much of the grind that is the corporate world.   There have indeed been some trade offs, but I've done okay.  Part of that success is knowing when to branch away from one's "passion" and use one's other skills.  Another advantage of having another iron or two in the fire is that I was able to take a side pursuit that at first was totally different from my degree and spin it into something directly related to it.