Career Advice? Smart people lose their way as well. Serious advice only.?

I'm going to ask this question another way since my first question received a lot of jokes for responses.





I'm stuck in life and am looking for a rewarding meaningful career. My first attempt at college was for engineering and I lets just say I hated it and am usure how to proceed right now. Any ideas without going back to school?





My first question: I'm 30 years old. I've completed 2 years of college at Stanford and then dropped out to start my own business. Long story short I made a lot of money and lost it all by trusting the wrong person. With money no longer being my main goal, I'm searching for a fulfilling career with purpose. I'm in the 99.5% for intelligence but without a degree I'm at a complete loss right now. Some things I've looked at have been FBI %26amp; CIA but they both require a degree. I really just want a chance to use my intelligence and work ethic to make a difference. Any advice is greatly appreciated. And please only serious suggestions. Thank you for the helpCareer Advice? Smart people lose their way as well. Serious advice only.?
Hi Jeff,





When I read your post what strikes me the most is your age, accomplishments and admission to being ';stuck in life';. Congratulations! That awful feeling usually shows up right before some major shift. So let's review: you've got the brains and means to get into a top school in a demanding program (that would be engineering!). Okay, so you view it as been there, done that (at least for awhile) and then you go on to succeed in business, which is all the more impressive because your training was not in business. This tells me you can set goals and accomplish them. What's missing (maybe) is the interest factor. Why did you choose to study engineering? Were you the kind of kid who always took everything apart and put it together, with fewer parts! Or did you choose that major because you had the high math scores and was a ';natural'; fit? How did you like being in business for yourself? Again, I'm looking for interests, did you have any business ventures when you were young? A career aligned with interests is a joyful thing. You must spend time with yourself to identify your interests, and then look for a career. Okay, this post is getting long, let me just say one more thing. Having worked for yourself once, you may find a ';career'; working for someone else to be a complete torture. I've been THERE, done THAT, won't be doing it again :-)Career Advice? Smart people lose their way as well. Serious advice only.?
Sorry to hear you got so many stupid responses the first time you tried to ask your question. Glad you asked again.





I'm 45 and I too am stuck in life! I tried asking the same question but said ';I'm lost'; and some clown wrote ';try Mapquest';. So with that said - don't feel bad.





At least you have 2 years at Stanford - I've only got a few accounting courses behind me!





I wish I knew the secret to finding out what your purpose is in life but sometimes it's best to not be so hard on yourself, let God lead you where he wants you to go. Get a degree in criminal justice online or see if you can get hired at your local police department. They might hire you on just a few years of college.





They always say follow your passions and hobbies - they will lead you to your purpose.





I love art and saltwater fishing. Still trying to find a way to make money at both! :)





Happy Holidays - Good Luck to you! You're ONLY 30 - so young. I'd give anything to be 30 again!
If you didnt like enginerring - what else do you like doing for a hobby or interest. What do you like doing in your spare time?





That would help us to make some serious suggestions.
I know that you don't want to go back to school. But, think about it really carefully. Are you sure? It's not too late to go back to school and get a degree. Ask yourself of what you really want to do and then get a degree in it. You can be a police officer, a doctor, a politician, etc. Those jobs contribute a lot to the community. You can be a doctor at a clinic. Or you can be a politician so you can defend defenseless individuals. Things like that.
The CIA or FBI is a great idea. What about going back to school and getting another degree and taking it from there?
stop be freaking LAZY and go back to school.





you might as well get on welfair.


life aint easy
Well, maybe training to be a police officer? It isn't the CIA, but it is law enforcement.
Sales is always a good career path if you like to help people. Especially since the successful salespeople truly take it to heart that they're helping their clients.





Find an industry or product that you feel will have the most impact and look for a sales position there.





Think about it this way, without a salesperson, a miracle drug will never get out into the market because there's no one talking about it or pushing it or basically ';selling'; it.





Good luck.
I would consider breaking into a sales position as well. I have been an accounting and finance guy in the past and decided to try staffing. I absolutly love it because you can use your thoughts and skills to help other business make a hiring decision. Plus you get paid really well for it if you become good at it. Most good staffing agents make a 6 figure income.
I can definitely relate to your situation. After many years of climbing up the ladder I discovered that it was on the wrong wall. Lots of time, good money, but a real lack of satisfaction in what I had committed my life to.





I too have been given the gift of intelligence, but kept feeling something was missing.





I am still on the ladder, but decided that it is important to me to finish my degree. Do you remember the chat sessions on campus, you know, the ones where anything goes, no subject is taboo?





Now that I am older (39), I really appreciate them. If you think back, I'll bet that your going into business came from thoughts that got stirred up from some of those 'waste of time' sit downs.





As for me, I put my two-bits in, and listen to the thoughts roll out there, and have gained several ideas as to the direction I am going to aim the rest of my life.





Maybe you should head back to school. All of those people in such close proximity, doing so much thinking, it's kid of magical.





Any how,


I hope this helps:)