How did you know

[HDGasser]

Finish HS and get as much of a free/cheap education as possible!!

I wish I knew what I know now back then. IDIOT!!!

It was all about having fun, smoking weed, gettin drunk, and girls. School sucked, I hated it with a passion. I was actually real smart when it came to actually doing it but I got real bored real quick so I dropped out half way into my junior year.

Ill be the first SOB to tell you someone up stairs is lookin out for me.

Be cool stay in school, and like Wayalife said you won't know what you really wanna do till your doing it just be the best at what your doing and people will notice that. Attention to detail, attitude and personality will play a huge part on how you spend the rest of your life living.

Everybody's different, you may not be mechanically inclined, you may not wanna do hard labor? Do you look good in a suit behind a desk? Or covered in grease sweating your ass off working on a piece of machinery?

I would have NEVER thought in a million years I'd be where I am today, but I learned the hard way, and had to bust my ass to get to where I am today.

Good luck man!!

God I wish I was in HS again...

 

[10frank9]

I was in college with an undeclared major when I realized what I wanted to do. I worked a part time job through college. It was there that I realized what I wanted to do. I finished my degree in business and went into an entirely different field.

I will say this, I love what I do and get a lot of satisfaction from my career. I encourage you to work, go to school or the military and soon enough you will realize what you were meant to do. I wish you the best of luck.

 

[AESTHESIS]

Make your own rules, believe what you believe, and always stop to think. Some people travel between Florida and Mass selling antiques till they die. Some live free of paperwork, identification, and all the BS. In the end who enjoyed themselves? You have to decide what is most important to you now and next. Then you have to decide how you will achieve that. If you do it normal you get normal results. If you want greatness feed your goals greatness. They second half of that is give and take. Help family, friends, and anyone else. Take money people offer you, if you qualify for a tax break take it. If you qualify for food benefits take them. Dont interfear with anyone and do WHATEVER YOU WANT.

Aesthesis

 

[LadyJeeper]

I am going into my senior year of Highschool, and naturally, I still don't have an idea on what I want to pursue for a career/ mods money, I am just wondering at what point in your life did some of y'all decided on what you wanted to do with your lives, I know this isn't really Jeep specific, but I believe it's part of the Wayalife

You just have to live and find out.

I went to college the first time on a full ride to a fairly prestigious private university for music. I only went there and majored in music because it is simply what I was best at and had a natural talent. I figured it was my destiny or something. I found out after a year in college that I hated the idea of a piece of paper that said I played the cello really really well, and no other skills.

So I joined the Army and worked on helicopters.

I always loved aviation but it was that crazy leap of faith that proved to me it was a passion worth pursuing.

Now I am obtaining my Airframe & Powerplant license and planning on a flight program following completion. I am way happier now and have a much better skill set to fund my Jeep habit! It took me 7 years out of high school to figure it all out. No rush, my friend. You'll know. Just keep your ears and eyes open to the world!

 

[cozdude]

i knew this guy when i was in high school who used to travel all over the world for this company for many years. he said he was making 7-8 figures easy but he didnt like his job. after 15 years with the company left to pursure what he always really wanted to be and that was a math teacher. My junior year of high school was his first year teaching and he couldnt of been a better teacher. you could tell that he was loving what he was doing. so just remember whatever you decide to do it isnt always about the pay check your bringing home but the love for your job that you have.

 

[OverlanderJK]

i knew this guy when i was in high school who used to travel all over the world for this company for many years. he said he was making 7-8 figures easy but he didnt like his job. after 15 years with the company left to pursure what he always really wanted to be and that was a math teacher. My junior year of high school was his first year teaching and he couldnt of been a better teacher. you could tell that he was loving what he was doing. so just remember whatever you decide to do it isnt always about the pay check your bringing home but the love for your job that you have.

He was making a million dollars a year for 15 years? Must be he isn't good with money then if he couldn't retire. :cheesy:

 

[cozdude]

He was making a million dollars a year for 15 years? Must be he isn't good with money then if he couldn't retire. :cheesy:

:cheesy: very true. if i remember correctly he said it was his way of giving back by teaching us.

 

[Webe]

You have to ask your self, "What would I love to do for a job?" Then ask your self, "What am I willing to do to get it?" Untill you can answer both of those it really doesn't matter what you do for a career becuase it wont last.:twocents:

 

[MTG]

If you think you want to be an off road/jeep mechanic go to the local off road shop and, assuming they are not looking to hire, VOLUNTEER just to get exposed to the industry and to see how the shop is ran. Spend some time sweeping and cleaning up the place while paying attention to everything else that is going on. Plus if you like doing it for free, you'll probably love it when you get paid to do it. :yup:

As for myself, I went through wanting to be a lot of different things before finally deciding on one. Then I went to graduate school to get better at that one thing and then starting doing it. Then I decided that I didn't want to do that one thing any more so I started doing something else completely unrelated and have been doing it ever since. LOL!

You're in high school and while it may not seem like it, but you have your whole life ahead of you to figure out what you want to do, and more importantly why. Life is about experiences and you need to go out and get some.

There was some good advice given above. Here is another little gem that I like to live by:

If you want something bad enough, you do what it takes to get it. If not, you accept whatever you get.

Good luck!

Edit: Oh and start saving as much $ as you possibly can now. If you have income start a Roth IRA and max your contributions to it, get your parents to match if they can. Starting now will pay huge dividends down the road!

 

[10frank9]

Edit: Oh and start saving as much $ as you possibly can now. If you have income start a Roth IRA and max your contributions to it, get your parents to match if they can. Starting now will pay huge dividends down the road!

^^^THIS^^^ Is great advice. Don't wait until its time to retire, it is too late then. In my line of work people tend to wait too long then wind up HAVING to work after retirement for medical insurance $$$$.

 

[Conman]

^^^THIS^^^ Is great advice. Don't wait until its time to retire, it is too late then. In my line of work people tend to wait too long then wind up HAVING to work after retirement for medical insurance $$$$.

Can't agree with this more. Start saving your money now. You will thank yourself in the long run. Keep good credit also as it will haunt you a long time if you don't.

 

[Evilidea]

Well...
I'm a trophy husband. Are you pretty?:bleh:
I'm also an :asshat: :thinking:

Honestly though, all the schooling and jobs and what not before my wife and kids could never have prepared me for domestic engineering, never thought I would enjoy it so much either.

 

[NAUJK]

If you were to ask this question to my 64 year-old Retired twice parents, They would immediately tell you "we still dont know what we want to do when we grow up". My father went into college for Psychology ( dear god that could have been bad ) thankfully he changed to Chemistry and Physics. My mother failed out of college the first time. My father did ROTC to dodge his low draft number during Vietnam and went into the Air Force. My mother applied to OTS ( Officers Training School ) after going back and getting her degree and also went into the Air Force. They retired after 20 years and became teachers and are retired from that as well. Now my mother just does her hobby of Ceramics while my father is working to become a Civilian Flight Instructor in Prescott Arizona ( wooo guess whos gettin his Pilots License :wings: )!.



Some people go from High School into college knowing what they want to do., some dont. I changed my major freshman year to something that I am interested in and can find jobs in. A good way to find out what you may like is your Freshman year of College go in undeclared and take your electives taking some classes from many different places that is why Colleges have Intro classes to get you interested and for you to figure out what you would like to do.

I personally do not know what I want to do with my life either. I am 22 years old a College Senior (still have a year to go tho, 5 year plan). You dont need to know what you want to do. Just find something you are interested in and go with it and if you are unhappy find something else till you find something you enjoy. Or just keep changing like my parents have. My brother changed his major 4 times before he stuck with Military Meteorology, but he doesnt use it much as he is a KC-135 Pilot in the Air Force.

I can easily get my foot in the door with the USGS, United States Geological Survey here in Flagstaff and work for them after school, Or after I graduate apply for OTS and go into the Air Force route just like my parents have and my brother did. I am more than likely going to try to do OTS and hopefully get accepted and then when im done with the Air Force go into the Environmental field that I am looking at with the USGS. . You have to continue your education in the Air Force anyway so I can continue it into the field I want to do when I get out or Retire. I did Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corp, AFROTC, my first 2 years of college but that is when you HAVE to decide if thats what you are going to do and I chose to drop it because I felt I wast ready at that time to decide what i wanted to do with my life (plus I wasnt going to make it, was struggling with the fitness section at that current time my sophomore year).

There are so many things out there to do and ways to find out. Just keep your options open you never know where you can end up.

 

[Canvas JK]

At 18 years old I had a choice to make and a retired Air Force Colonel asked me what was I going to different in college than I did in high school. A very profound statement which really made me think and 25 years later I am still in the Navy trying to figure out the same thing you are, what am I going to do when I grow up.

I will say if you find something you truly love to do and passionate about it keep it as a hobby or a way to make some extra cash. If you are required to put food on your table and roof over you head then it might become something you dread. I have met several people who have taken there passion and turned it into a business and ended up not liking there passion. I would also recommend finding a career which will take you until you retire. I am an aircraft mechanic and when my tenure is up in the Navy I know this is not what I am going to do. My challenge in life now is trying to find another career at 43 years old and finding a company who is going to hire me with zero experience other than 25 years of military service.

You will find there are several avenues to follow and if the first path is not what you are looking for then choose again. What you want to do now at 18 may change when you are 30 and have a wife and kids.

What ever you do here are three basic rules to follow:

1. Show up to work on time.
2. Do your job to the best of your ability.
3 Do your job with pride.

It is amazing how these three simple rules will take you to places you thought you would never go.

Good luck,
R/
Will

 

[NAUJK]

What ever you do here are three basic rules to follow:

1. Show up to work on time.
2. Do your job to the best of your ability.
3 Do your job with pride.

It is amazing how these three simple rules will take you to places you thought you would never go.

Good luck,
R/
Will

I agree to those 3 things but I would add one to it something my Father says ( Air Force LT. Col. Ret. ).

If you make a mistake and mess up, own up and admit it and apologize and tell your boss right away. Dont try to hide it, that will only make things worse.

 

[JKU EXTREME]

Thanks for all the advice guys, you can't imagine how much I appreciate all the input, it means a lot knowing that there is a group of people that I can ask just about any question and get a reply, to me this just goes to show how much the Wayalife influences us all, again thanks again for taking the time out of your day to reply to a highschooler's question.

 

[dahreno]

I , at 56 and a grandfather , am still trying to figure out what I want to be !I have done several things for work when I was young and just came across something I was good at and something that I like .Luckily I have bought and sold about half a dozen houses through the years and have made some money in the process. Do something you like and that you are good at and that pays. Work with your parents to establish credit NOW . It will save you thousands in the near and far future. Also save your money as much as possible.Most people spend what they make , and more . It's a big mistake !Always live below your means.Just put as much as you can in the bank and leave it there . Also start a Roth IRA as soon as you can .Nothing is better then knowing that when you retire , you CAN actually retire ! Good luck and keep us posted

 

[AllAmericanInfidel]

The Military is a great option. It has its ups and downs, but so does any Job. I actually left the Military for 5 years to take a better paying Job. It didnt take long to realize that I was doing what I was meant to do, and reenlisted. Couldnt be happier. Bills taken care of, a little cash left over, and lots of adventure and opportunities. Plus, you can get some certs that will help you to get a really good job if you decide to get out, depending on what you do. May not be so great when you first start out, but it gets alot better as the years go by! Something to think about!

 

[IBeHeWhoIsJoshua]

Finish HS and get as much of a free/cheap education as possible!!

I wish I knew what I know now back then. IDIOT!!!

It was all about having fun, smoking weed, gettin drunk, and girls. School sucked, I hated it with a passion. I was actually real smart when it came to actually doing it but I got real bored real quick so I dropped out half way into my junior year.

Ill be the first SOB to tell you someone up stairs is lookin out for me.

Be cool stay in school, and like Wayalife said you won't know what you really wanna do till your doing it just be the best at what your doing and people will notice that. Attention to detail, attitude and personality will play a huge part on how you spend the rest of your life living.

Everybody's different, you may not be mechanically inclined, you may not wanna do hard labor? Do you look good in a suit behind a desk? Or covered in grease sweating your ass off working on a piece of machinery?

I would have NEVER thought in a million years I'd be where I am today, but I learned the hard way, and had to bust my ass to get to where I am today.

Good luck man!!

God I wish I was in HS again...

Just about what I was going to post. I still need to get somewhere better but things are finally looking up.

 

[trailless]

With any luck, you'll never know what you want to pursue. Me, I always thought I wanted to be an architect and that's what I studied to be and eventually became. Of course, today, I do anything but. If there is one thing I would advise you to do, it's to do what's in front of you and do it to the best of your ability. The rest will figure itself out.

This is really good advice. Completing any job you have to do with the best of your ability is so much more then just doing a good job. You'll realize that it open so many doors. You're not the only one that'll notice the great job you've been doing. Your boss will notice and possibly even a random stranger.

You never know who you'll meet and who you'll run into again. So always do your best and treat everyone equally. That's what I go by and it hasn't let me down yet.