Multi-life

[Mikali]

Hello, everyone. I'm 23 years old ( 24 to make soon ) and today i decided i would share this concern that i hold for some time now.
My life loses meaning whenever i think of hard-core specializing in only one thing for all my life.It's a difficult problem because that means i know i won't be happy if i dedicate myself entirely to a single carreer.
It has been like this for my whole life.I've been interested in many different and varied subjects ( sports, computer technology, drawing and design, music , selling, poker, mathematics and physics, online games, history, electronics, self-development , programming, diets, veganism, philosophy and religion-metaphysical debates, etc ) ... but for each thing, i only held continuous interest for some months maximum.I also returned to most areas after completing some ( non-uniform ) cycles.

For example, When i joined college ( engineering ) i started to get really good grades in the beggining because i was highly interested, but 1 year later i was already kinda bored and started to spend most of my time involved in other things, even tho in the end my sleepless night studying all that was needed allowed me to pass in everything till this day ( didn't finish my college yet but can't think of pursuing an engineering job in any way ).
Don't even ask me what i feel when i read anything saying that i should pursue and invest everything into some area i love.
I'm able to put a lot of hard-work and focus on what i decide to get involved, but i love so many things ...
There's not one single area that i love so intensely to the point i will be able to dedicate my whole life solely to it withouth losing interest/getting bored .

So, everyday i ask myself if theres a path in life that would reasonate with the possibility of pursuing multiple interests sporadically.

Wonder if anyone faces the same problem or has any insight.
Greetings,
Mikali.

 

[Black Rose]

Google hires people without college degrees and they allow you 20% of your time working on your own projects. They have Google tech talks on youtube. If you choose a career it should be with a company flexible as google. Learn a skill and be part of an interdisciplinary team.

 

[DelusiveNinja]

I face that same dilemma except I don't have as many interest as you. I'm going into Electrical Engineering this fall and I'm no genius, but I know that I will do well. Having peeked at some of the topics that are in store for me, I also know that boredom is inescapable as it always is for me in the case of formal education.

So, why do I keep driving forward if I know that I won't "love" electrical engineering?
I've known since childhood that I have enough interest to learn about it and apply it to real world problems, but that alone isn't enough to keep me going through these boring ass classes. What keeps me going is the idea that in order to get what you want from society (money) you have to contribute something to it.

I no longer care if I'm interested in engineering because all that really matters is that I try to contribute.

When you have nothing to offer you are considered dead weight. I'm sure you know what happens to dead weight.

In my society, as long as there are roles that need to be filled, there is money to be gained for filling those roles. Chose the role you love or chose the role that gets you the money you want/need.

In making this choice, your end goal matters.

 

[Cognisant]

So, everyday i ask myself if theres a path in life that would reasonate with the possibility of pursuing multiple interests sporadically.

Be an inventor, come up with something people want and get funding for it through kickstarter.

You can work part time in retail or whatever and live cheaply in the meantime.

 

[Ex-User (9086)]

Storywriting, fiction, using all that interests you in a book. Posting blogs or articles for a living, trying to connect multiple fields in your work while researching, designing, analysing. Going to general knowledge contests or talk shows, teaching.

Despite all these possibilities, if your cycles are not uniform/capricious and you fail to provide something valuable, you will face many difficulties in selling your abilities and knowledge.

 

[Red myst]

You have not even given engineering a chance yet. Treat it as a starting point not an ending point. When you start working, things will be somewhat different. Just treat it as a building block. You have plenty of time to feel things out and see where you want to go. Some things are not obvious to you yet, but you have to start somewhere and watch how things unfold. I would not recommend the starving artist route. You have already invested quite a bit of tome in school, and you are a capable person. No need to work in throwaway jobs while you try to be an artist or inventor or whatever. Just make sure you don't become mired in debt to where you can't take advantages of interesting opportunities as they emerge.

 

[DesEsseintes]

Nothing wrong with some cut-and-paste eclecticism.
I always prefer touching on a lot of things slightly (and making them echo into each other) over superspecialized profession idiocy.

 

[QuickTwist]

I face that same dilemma except I don't have as many interest as you. I'm going into Electrical Engineering this fall and I'm no genius, but I know that I will do well. Having peeked at some of the topics that are in store for me, I also know that boredom is inescapable as it always is for me in the case of formal education.

So, why do I keep driving forward if I know that I won't "love" electrical engineering?
I've known since childhood that I have enough interest to learn about it and apply it to real world problems, but that alone isn't enough to keep me going through these boring ass classes. What keeps me going is the idea that in order to get what you want from society (money) you have to contribute something to it.

I no longer care if I'm interested in engineering because all that really matters is that I try to contribute.

When you have nothing to offer you are considered dead weight. I'm sure you know what happens to dead weight.

In my society, as long as there are roles that need to be filled, there is money to be gained for filling those roles. Chose the role you love or chose the role that gets you the money you want/need.

In making this choice, your end goal matters.

This is probably the best and most realistic advice you will get.

 

[RadicalDreamer31]

There is simply not enough time, in the day or in your life. You can not have it all. You will have to make some trade offs. One aspect of your life will suffer while you pursue another.

I have tried so hard to juggle multiple half-passions. All it results in is becoming a jack of all trades, and a master of none. It won't get you very far, trust me.

I feel you on the meaning and specialization part, unfortunately, unless you land some awesome start up gig, it's better to be a scalpel then a swiss army knife.

This following image may or may not illustrate your dilemma: (Pun intended)

Spoiler

My advice to you, as it is to myself 3 years out on the path that you are beginning, is get a solid set of skills first (that pay for themselves, so to speak) and learn to live with the boredom. Have something to work with first, before you chase after every fleeting fancy, BEFORE you find yourself at the point of burnout and frustration.

But this is just advice, and I don't know shit, like I said I'm no expert at anything.

 

[Vrecknidj]

There's not one single area that i love so intensely to the point i will be able to dedicate my whole life solely to it withouth losing interest/getting bored .

1) Just because you haven't yet found a single area that you love intensely doesn't mean you never will find one.

2) Why concern yourself with dedicating your whole life to anything? If you can dedicate an hour to cooking because of the great meal you anticipate afterward, then the time and work were worth it. There is no reason to entrap yourself. There are many reasons for completing a degree (engineering or otherwise). You can complete a degree and then not work in the field, should you choose to do so.

3) Many things in life are dull or boring. Many of the dull and boring things also have other benefits. I often sacrifice some boredom for stability or income. It's a fair trade for me.

 

[DesEsseintes]

In my society, as long as there are roles that need to be filled, there is money to be gained for filling those roles. Chose the role you love or chose the role that gets you the money you want/need.

In making this choice, your end goal matters.

Why does every one care so much for money? I don't get it. You don't need a lot of it to have a decent modest life.
If you have less you spend less. If you have more you spend more. Simple as that.

It always struck me as really absurd that so many people work their ass of in jobs they don't love, to get money which they then spend on stuff they don't need to reward themselves for all the time spent working.

My strategy is to juggle up that equation, and instead of money I hunt free time to spend on whatever interests me at the moment. If time is money, I choose time.

 

[Cavallier]

Why does every one care so much for money? I don't get it. You don't need a lot of it to have a decent modest life.
If you have less you spend less. If you have more you spend more. Simple as that.

It always struck me as really absurd that so many people work their ass of in jobs they don't love, to get money which they then spend on stuff they don't need to reward themselves for all the time spent working.

My strategy is to juggle up that equation, and instead of money I hunt free time to spend on whatever interests me at the moment. If time is money, I choose time.

I think there is a subtle point that can be made here. I agree it's stupid to work a dull job in persuit of money if your plan for that money is only to pay for the car that drives you to the job. However it's hard to buy plane tickets for exotic lands without money. It's hard to fund hobbies without money.

I'm more of a pragmatist. I found a job that pays my bills and allows me to fund my hobbies and travel. I don't live for what I do there. I live the life I want because the job pays for it. I avoid getting caught up in the drama of the job. I live my life in such a way that my job doesn't take my life. I'm lucky because I found a job that gives lots of prayed time off which is unusual in my country.