96WTK: would you chase the dream?

[96]

It has come up in another thread and has me intrigued.

Have you dropped a path in your life, possibly a great one, leading to a steady life, a good family, extraordinary wealth etc, in pursuit of that persistent want bugging you day and night?

Personally, I completed year 12 tee with moderate-high results, and accepted a place in university studying a bachelor of technology course, as I didn't quite cut it for straight entry into the engineering course I desired. The plan was to do my 12 months, and transfer across, having completed 'most' of the same units as the engineering degree, and them carry on. I would be competing that course sometime this year if all went well.

Instead, after midway through 2nd semester I decided to leave, my part time position at woolworths went fullyime, and after 3 months, and turning 18, I got a loan, and a 600cc race bike.

I'm still working full time, paying back debt, and saving my arse off to race each meet, and do as many practice days as possible, but I fucking love it.

The thought has crossed my mind, "wouldn't it all be so much easier if I didn't race?" but each and everytime, I decide this is what I want.

So deffinatley no regrets.

So what have you given up, to chase that dream?
Do you regret it?
Would you recommend it?

[Maxo]

I've always been a little tapped, thankfully this makes me creative. If i can't be creative in day to day life, i end up incredibly bored and destructive.

So what have you given up, to chase that dream?
Do you regret it?
Would you recommend it?

- I don't know if I gave up an engineering degree as much as completely lost interest.

- Don't regret it, at all.

- I also wouldn't recommend it. Most people can't live skint, hate being skint, have to put themselves in debt to buy things they don't really need and end up incredibly unhappy because they can't buy better things than everyone else.

Sane people are happy having a heavy pocket, a house (or two) with lots of things they can point at, 2.4 kids that go to private schools, a dog, a boat and a moderately expensive car or bike.

[Rhinosaur]

I kinda did this.

I climbed the small business ladder to the point of managing 3 small business NOR, over about 6 years.
Steady income, long term girlfriend, nice car to play around with on the weekends (VC Brock).

Music was scratching at the door though, started a band, quit the job, took up casual labouring, sold the car,
lost the girl, cut my own hair for 4 years, got about 8 piercings, bought 12 guitars, 5 amps, and a drum kit,
smashed some band comps, toured the state, shared a stage with Alex Lloyd, Birds Of Tokyo, Mammal,
Dead Letter Circus, etc. released an EP and album, highest ranked WA band in JJJ unearthed the year it went online,
had a blast. Spent 3 years living in a "band house" with the best lads on earth.

Of course, no $$$ to show for it. But kick-ass memories, a few cd's/t-shirts/posters etc., and something to tell the
kids about one day.

I did snap into gear afterwards though. Got the white picket fence now. I think there's a time to have fun, and then
a time to get real. It's just different when you settle. But i think the new toys are quicker anyhow...

Edit - No regrets.

[Professor Redfern]

, shared a stage with Alex Lloyd,

You mean you had the chance to kill him and you didnt?

What a waste of 3 years.

[Flyboy]

So what have you given up, to chase that dream?
Do you regret it?
Would you recommend it?

Gave up being a commercial pilot. Dreamed of doing it since I was a kid. Did the PPL and got bitten by the racing bug. Couldn't afford both, so flying went by the wayside.

Don't regret my choice at all. I look back now and realise that keeping flying as a hobby keeps it being an enjoyable experience instead of being 'just a job'.

I'm not sure if I could recommend it. A lot of people look at my lifestyle and think its mad and selfish the way I live (very modest house, no expensive furniture etc. but lots of 'toys'). It works for me but it probably isn't everyones cup of tea.

[Rhinosaur]

You mean you had the chance to kill him and you didnt?

What a waste of 3 years.

in hindsight it was an opportunity lost. i do apologise.

SO to correct myself - few regrets.

[Mo-Fo]

11 yrs ago I gave up a well paid career, sold my car, house and almost everything I owned and also left my g/f of 5yrs. Besides some money in the bank all I had left was a suitcase with some crap in it and a one way plane ticket overseas. Told the g/f I don't know when I'll be back so don't wait for me.

Sometimes you get an itch that you really need to scratch.

No regrets at all. I'd recommend doing it if you're like me, if not, then maybe it's not for you. Sure as hell cured that itch though.

[Skut]

To chase any dream is a great thing, if it makes you happy it is a GOOD thing. Just have something in place to fall back on if the passion dies (and I hope it never will)

[Old frt]

I'd have to say go for it, qualifications can be obtained at any age now (that was unthinkable in my youth," dos tha want to go down pit or in yon cotton mill? no? then keep up tha studies lad")
and as the retirement age creeps ever closer towards death, make the most of it while you can. You only live once, no second chances.
If you have an itch, scratching only gives short term relief, it won't go away.

[agrid]

Life's good, there's time, fit it all in. I have no regrets.

[Gordan]

As a matter of fact im going through this stage at the moment. I just quit my well paying job, going to europe for 6 weeks with the mrs, then coming back to open my own business which i have been working on for the last few months...I dont know where im gonna be in 6/12/24 months time and frankly im not too bothered. Life is too short to have habbits. Do something different, something you have always wanted to do, and keep doing it. Business is something I have wanted to do for quite some time.

[Trashed]

I think I am at that point where I want to chuck in my very successful career to follow a dream, but my circumstances make it difficult. Right now, I've got as far as I can go in my job and I don't enjoy it at all. I'm a scientist, but the further you go up the food chain, the less science you do, and right now I mostly sit in an office doing managerial things. I want to go back to just being the pleb on the bench doing the wet work, but as I'm a single parent, the pay cut is a bitch. And believe me, I live in a very modest house, and don't have an extragavent lifestyle.
My dreams are mostly for overseas ventures, and I can't take my daughter (not fair on her or her Dad), so I have to put them on the back burner for now.

So, my advice if you're young, no kids, go for your dream.

[Barfridge]

There's giving up things you already do to chase a dream, then there's digging a hole for yourself to satisfy a whim.

[Chaos-incarnate]

There's giving up things you already do to chase a dream, then there's digging a hole for yourself to satisfy a whim.

Yeah but sometimes you dont see the hole til it's dug, and sometimes getting back out is the biggest adventure of all. You learn a lot about yourself when your backs to the wall and it's all on you.

I've never regretted chasing dreams against all commonsense and advice- it's when I follow societies' dictates that I suffer. I would like the cash to buy my land and shed though- working on it

[devolved]

The only real regrets I have is doing everything I could to shag a chick (because I thought I was madly in love with her), shagging her, then realising it wasn't what I had thought it would be. Lust and love can appear to be the same thing sometimes. You only get a clear understanding of which one is which after you have already 'bitten the cherry'.

A good lesson to learn, but absolutely self-destructing in the process.

I always figure that if at this point - I am happy and healthy and have loved ones around me - then I should always be thankful for all I have.

Sure I could have made other decisions that may have put me in a different place to where I am today, but it might not have been a better one.

[The Saint]

I'm still trying to work out how a year in a Bachelor of Technology course followed by a transfer with advanced standing to an engineering course leads to a steady life, a good family and extraordinary wealth etc.

[g0zer]

Eheh the most talented and successful eng I know is the biggest stoner I've ever met and so far as I can has no aspirations forthe white picket fence.

One of the most gifted undergraduates I've ever met dropped out of chem eng in her 3rd year to become a restauranteur.

Imho you are only young once there are worse things you could be pouring your efforts into than racing motorbikes.

[potato]

I'm still trying to work out how a year in a Bachelor of Technology course followed by a transfer with advanced standing to an engineering course leads to a steady life, a good family and extraordinary wealth etc.

you get to be doing engineering stuff and things and hopefully big bucks at the end of it all

dunno if i could cope being a checkout chick at woolies in the meantime,but at least you get to race bikes too

[96]

"possibly a great one, leading to a steady life, a good family, extraordinary wealth etc, in pursuit of that persistent want bugging you day and night?"

Sainty, it might not have. And I won't know for some time. Just any any of ^these^ guys might have acctually dodged a inadvertent bullet in the form of a dodgy partner, celapsing business, etc... who knows...

A couple of mates have just finished up uni and accepted $120k figures in their first year. I wouldn't expect an engineer to grab that straight up, but the 'general' consensus is go to uni, get payed more. Obviously, not always true.

And mr tato.
Roughly 15 months in the deli full time, 18 at the honda shop in a few roles, and now 3 months as a postie. The only place I wouldn't recommend working is in a bike shop. But all of it, including the Honda shop, has been fun, and taught me heaps. Not bad 'unskilled' wages either.

[Desmo]

Priorities change as you mature.