Sacrifice now (i.e., put in the planning and hard work now), or sacrifice later (lousy job, little to no savings, unable to retire).
You will look back on your life and ultimately question or regret every major decision you've ever made. What you won't regret are the days you go surfing. I can't think back to a day I went to work 15 years ago and say, man that was a fantastic day of labor. I can remember days that I have called out to surf/ski/climb etc. When I got out of college I took a soulless sales/service job. I hated it. I had to tuck my shirt in and shave. Bull scrotum. A few years in I left and went on a bearded quest for purity that took me across the USA sleeping in the back of a pick up truck, across Europe sleeping anywhere, living in an A-frame in the woods, living in a cinder block house in the desert, etc. Skied 100 days a year for years. Worked for peanuts by the hour. Best years of my life. I wouldn't change a thing, but in a weird way I also regret/question doing it because I ended up really broke, with medical bills, etc. So I went back to work for the soulless sales/service job, started exactly where I left off, and now I surf on the weekends. I both regret it and don't regret it. But now I can pay my bills, I can afford surgeries I need, and I can afford to go on a vacation where I don't have to sleep in a tent. I took this job out of financial necessity really. This time around my balls dropped a little and if its epic I will not go in to work to surf, but its harder to do. Stay at the party until its time to leave.
1. Thanking my stars for my translator, seriously, he assists ILoveSwell through the interpretation issues. 2. MIS has figured it out, his is a great way to roll & props for actually walking the walk MIS. ok, back to hatin'
Of course we all want to play rather than work. But the world doesn't work that way for most humans. I.e., ya gotta work, make money and in this reality, money is usually the lever that enables some measure of control over your destiny. I didn't make the rules; but I do understand the playing field. Obviously, the variables are huge. I'd say the dudes like unky2B & MIS, among others, have scar tissue from Life's journey, they 'get it' & they know how to play the Life game pretty well. They understand the rules & they roll accordingly. A lot of folks don't get it & never will.
2 aspects here that need to be considered separately. 1) short-term, cost/benefits. I personally would take a day of the most ****ty waves imaginable over working for $30. If I were that broke that $30 would have such an impact then we got bigger issues, put it that way. 2) work ethic and habits. Is this indicative of a pattern? If so then do some serious self-evaluation and make some needed changes. People who "work hard to avoid responsibility" in their 20s become flunkies who live for the weekends in their 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and even 70s. At age 21 you are still in the formative years when it comes to defining how you view work and responsibility. Case in point: this kid is posting on a forum for advice in such matters. I personally was leading an infantry squad of Marines at age 21. After I got out, I lived like a monk while I went to school and worked. I intentionally wrote off my 20s in terms of having fun and devoted the entire decade to military, education and work. interestingly enough, I still surfed quite a bit and partied and traveled too, those things were just far from priorities in my life, 't age 43, I haven't worked more than 40 hrs a week in 15 years, I have no debt, a successful career and paid-for house on the beach and all the nice toys, plenty of time to surf and hang out with my family.
Live for health, not for wealth. You can have all the money in the world, but if you don't have your health, you ain't got s-h-i-t. I work with plenty of guys that knock down 65 plus hours a week, make over six figures, but are morbidly obese and stressed. “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”
So true, and if someone is fortunate to have both then they should thank their lucky stars that they are more fortunate than 99.9% of people
So true and sums up my West Palm situation dilemma...gotta have a backup plan. Stay close to the ocean though. I've lived inland before. My girl claims it won't be that bad...that would only work if I have a plane and pilot's license with a short trip. Ugh, then you're that "guy" people in the inland community always question "why do you do that?' Man, STFU!!!! Everyone lives a boring life (I reckon you are not famous and full of cash) for the most part. Spice it up so that it is something that you actually enjoy but make preparations and surf a lot. How many cats do you know that are 30-40 and still live at home, suck at their restaurant job, talk a big game about surfing but can't do it and chill at the same bar every night? Its fun for a while, then it becomes your life. If that's for you, have at it. Sounds like you are doing something about it. You need a piece of paper showing that you know something nowadays. Listen to the wise ones or your future thread will be to the effect of... 1. FML 2. I'm 6 months pregnant and I didn't know it 3. I'm too fat to float on a shortboard 4. I hate my life 5. I wanna get laid 6. Any advice on getting a job 7. I drink a lot 8. I regret this, that and the other... You're a little younger than me. My two cents is finish it, surf a lot, do something stupid, take a picture and post it here so we can laugh. If that doesn't work, I recommend video. That way, we can hear your voice and determine your level of intelligence. Once we know that, we will know if you are a capable individual and have pride in you as a member, or you will be the whipping boy of Swell Info. This is you duty. I won't refer to you in any specific gender becasue that is likely to impede your psychological development in the estimation of many educators and psychologists. I will refer to you as "Purple Penguin" until you identify your gender in a later, non-related thread. Don't do it in this one or else you will fail the Swell Info intelligence test. Surf surf surf surf surf Surf surf surf surf surf Surf surf surf surf surf Surf surf surf surf surf ...and learn something too... Our society is plagued by humans that know nothing but to bilk the system when in fact they are screwing us all, think that they are smart, but are far from it and need the proper motivation. What is the proper motivation? You are the college student, so tell us. There is no wrong answer if you can successfully articulate yourself. BTW, there are plenty of good trades out there. I don't know what a Purple Penguin pursues (the Nebraska School System has yet to identify that. I am not posting a link, but if you know about this, then you are of the well-read and informed populace), but you can make a great living on a community college degree (if it is a good one). Get your certs. That way you can contibute to society and surf surf surf and I won't hate hate hate.
You how how I 'got it'? learning the hard way got some scar tissue alright and my retirement account is rather small, however I can do my job until my brain turns to mush (hard to gauge this one, lol), I dont need to worry about burning my body out except surfing it to tatters dont rely on doing physical labor, your body will not go along with this plan
If you have to question it, its time to move on. Uncle Two said it best though, you will never look back at your jobs and say "god that was a good day of labor" unless you make a living do what you love. Unfortunately its tough to be a successful person on plays in the ocean more then anything else. Being lucky enough to work in the outdoor industry, with a company who is actually growing, reminds me every day that even though my life is right where I have always wanted it, a job is still a job. You have good days and bad days... I still have yet to miss a swell, but have cut it close, whereas in my previous position(s) I was constantly missing waves.