Comments on: Selling Out Our Dreams http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/03/09/selling-out-our-dreams/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:31:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Bev http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/03/09/selling-out-our-dreams/comment-page-1/#comment-22421 Bev Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:54:56 +0000 http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/?p=643#comment-22421 I got the engineering career and worked 22 years in telecommunications. The safe, stable, productive thing to do. Have now 'retired' at age 44, and started a spirituality blog. I discovered we don't really know what's killing us until we find something to contrast it to. I got the engineering career and worked 22 years in telecommunications. The safe, stable, productive thing to do. Have now ‘retired’ at age 44, and started a spirituality blog. I discovered we don’t really know what’s killing us until we find something to contrast it to.

]]> By: The Financial Blogger » Blog Archive » Financial Ramblings http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/03/09/selling-out-our-dreams/comment-page-1/#comment-21840 The Financial Blogger » Blog Archive » Financial Ramblings Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:07:29 +0000 http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/?p=643#comment-21840 [...] Canadian Dream writes about selling out our dreams. [...] [...] Canadian Dream writes about selling out our dreams. [...]

]]> By: Slinky http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/03/09/selling-out-our-dreams/comment-page-1/#comment-21682 Slinky Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:57:23 +0000 http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/?p=643#comment-21682 All growing up, I was going to be a great harpist. Until I realized I really loved piano, and then I was going to be an awesome accompanist. Then when I got to college I finally realized that it was what my family really wanted me to do. I realized that if I went into music, I would come to hate it, and I love it too much to want that. I then graduated with a degree in comp sci and went into programming (which I also enjoy). In a way, I kind of sold out my childhood dream, but it was never really MY dream. All growing up, I was going to be a great harpist. Until I realized I really loved piano, and then I was going to be an awesome accompanist. Then when I got to college I finally realized that it was what my family really wanted me to do. I realized that if I went into music, I would come to hate it, and I love it too much to want that. I then graduated with a degree in comp sci and went into programming (which I also enjoy). In a way, I kind of sold out my childhood dream, but it was never really MY dream.

]]> By: Learn The Basics of Investing - Edition #197 of Carnival of Personal Finance http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/03/09/selling-out-our-dreams/comment-page-1/#comment-21600 Learn The Basics of Investing - Edition #197 of Carnival of Personal Finance Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:12:02 +0000 http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/?p=643#comment-21600 [...] Dream writes about selling out our dreams. I have to admit - I really don’t see what’s wrong with just working for a living and [...] [...] Dream writes about selling out our dreams. I have to admit – I really don’t see what’s wrong with just working for a living and [...]

]]> By: Sylvia http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/03/09/selling-out-our-dreams/comment-page-1/#comment-21457 Sylvia Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:03:22 +0000 http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/?p=643#comment-21457 I've been writing a blog tracking my experiences with retirement; it's called For The First Time. Why? Because now, for the first time in my life, I can really do whatever I want. That means I can finally go back to knowing (remembering?) who I really am and what I really value and make that what my life is about. Like so many others I made choices that I had to make along the way ... choices that would let me support myself and my three children. Today there are no excuses left. So ... back to real dreams it is for me. I’ve been writing a blog tracking my experiences with retirement; it’s called For The First Time. Why? Because now, for the first time in my life, I can really do whatever I want. That means I can finally go back to knowing (remembering?) who I really am and what I really value and make that what my life is about. Like so many others I made choices that I had to make along the way … choices that would let me support myself and my three children. Today there are no excuses left. So … back to real dreams it is for me.

]]> By: Fresh Start http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/03/09/selling-out-our-dreams/comment-page-1/#comment-21274 Fresh Start Sat, 14 Mar 2009 19:10:19 +0000 http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/?p=643#comment-21274 Interesting, you have a category on your blog called happiness and I have one called depression. I pursue a dream to give myself a chance to start over, go to a new place, surround myself with new people and do something new. Simple and modest. It might not make me happy, but maybe less depressed. I suppose that's a start. People keep telling me that it's unrealistic, will take too long or isn't worth it, but I continue to stubbornly throw everything I have behind my dream. During the process I've learnt a lot about need, want, and happiness as well as questioned a lot of basic things about life. One day, I'll get what I want, I'm sure of it and man would this sound pretty inspirational if I was going after something cool sounding as opposed to basic. Interesting, you have a category on your blog called happiness and I have one called depression. I pursue a dream to give myself a chance to start over, go to a new place, surround myself with new people and do something new. Simple and modest. It might not make me happy, but maybe less depressed. I suppose that’s a start. People keep telling me that it’s unrealistic, will take too long or isn’t worth it, but I continue to stubbornly throw everything I have behind my dream. During the process I’ve learnt a lot about need, want, and happiness as well as questioned a lot of basic things about life. One day, I’ll get what I want, I’m sure of it and man would this sound pretty inspirational if I was going after something cool sounding as opposed to basic.

]]> By: Kevin W http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/03/09/selling-out-our-dreams/comment-page-1/#comment-21186 Kevin W Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:02:56 +0000 http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/?p=643#comment-21186 I would add that the "sell out" path was a lot more enticing in the past, and a lot of people haven't adjusted yet. In my grandparents' time there was no Internet, so very little risk of outsourcing, and 9-5 really meant 9-5. There were pensions instead of 401(k)s. Companies were more regulated and unionized which in general meant more individual security and fewer demeaning little "gotcha" policies. I get the sense that good employees were viewed as scarce valuable assets, rather than the modern view of fungible commodities, so employee loyalty was actually reciprocated in meaningful ways. Add it all up, and the cost/benefit outlook of traditional work is a lot worse than it used to be. Anecdotally I would say the majority of my friends in their 20s and 30s have no interest in it, and the ones that do are already planning to eventually get out. You can see the trend in the news coverage of "millennials in the workplace." Within my family there's been a lot of conflict because my grandparents' and parents' generations keep pushing the "sell out" advice, based largely on obsolete assumptions. I would add that the “sell out” path was a lot more enticing in the past, and a lot of people haven’t adjusted yet. In my grandparents’ time there was no Internet, so very little risk of outsourcing, and 9-5 really meant 9-5. There were pensions instead of 401(k)s. Companies were more regulated and unionized which in general meant more individual security and fewer demeaning little “gotcha” policies. I get the sense that good employees were viewed as scarce valuable assets, rather than the modern view of fungible commodities, so employee loyalty was actually reciprocated in meaningful ways.

Add it all up, and the cost/benefit outlook of traditional work is a lot worse than it used to be. Anecdotally I would say the majority of my friends in their 20s and 30s have no interest in it, and the ones that do are already planning to eventually get out. You can see the trend in the news coverage of “millennials in the workplace.” Within my family there’s been a lot of conflict because my grandparents’ and parents’ generations keep pushing the “sell out” advice, based largely on obsolete assumptions.

]]> By: Canadian Dream http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/03/09/selling-out-our-dreams/comment-page-1/#comment-21177 Canadian Dream Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:18:26 +0000 http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/?p=643#comment-21177 Ted LAU, Good point. Many people don't consider the fact you could don't really need a lot of extra income over $50,000 for a basic life. It's all about what do you really want and making it happen. Tim Ted LAU,

Good point. Many people don’t consider the fact you could don’t really need a lot of extra income over $50,000 for a basic life. It’s all about what do you really want and making it happen.

Tim

]]> By: ted LAU http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/03/09/selling-out-our-dreams/comment-page-1/#comment-21138 ted LAU Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:47:01 +0000 http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/?p=643#comment-21138 Hi, I see that a lot of people have "sold out" for a decent paying job. But what is the opportunity cost for this? I mean, how much do you need to make in order to live your dream career, I wonder? Maybe do up a rough comparison about how much you make currently, versus how much you might make at your dream job + an assigned dollar value to how much you don't like your present job, and see how that works out? I mean, I hear port workers, truck drivers, accountants can make $150k+ a year, but if my hate for the job is equivalent to $100k/year, would I really want to do it? (sorry, not knocking port people or truck drivers, and I don't like numbers too much, just not my cup of mojo). thoughts? Hi,

I see that a lot of people have “sold out” for a decent paying job. But what is the opportunity cost for this? I mean, how much do you need to make in order to live your dream career, I wonder? Maybe do up a rough comparison about how much you make currently, versus how much you might make at your dream job + an assigned dollar value to how much you don’t like your present job, and see how that works out? I mean, I hear port workers, truck drivers, accountants can make $150k+ a year, but if my hate for the job is equivalent to $100k/year, would I really want to do it? (sorry, not knocking port people or truck drivers, and I don’t like numbers too much, just not my cup of mojo). thoughts?

]]> By: Mintycake http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/2009/03/09/selling-out-our-dreams/comment-page-1/#comment-21136 Mintycake Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:39:08 +0000 http://blog.canadian-dream-free-at-45.com/?p=643#comment-21136 I sold out. I wanted to write. My dad told me to get a "real" degree instead so I ended up in finance. And I'm not happy in my chosen profession, though it pays well. That's why I'm working towards financial independence, so that I can do something I really love and the pay won't matter. I sold out. I wanted to write. My dad told me to get a “real” degree instead so I ended up in finance. And I’m not happy in my chosen profession, though it pays well. That’s why I’m working towards financial independence, so that I can do something I really love and the pay won’t matter.

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