Choosing a career to support my horsey dreams...

[red_mares]

[QUOTE=zaparaquah;8024794]
Thanks for all the feedback guys!
I’m starting to see that riding internationally may not be totally reasonable for me. But for me it’s more about the skill and mastery of reaching that level. If I can’t actually compete in the big shows, I’ll live. I just want to develop into a really savvy, talented GP rider and trainer. That’s my real goal. If I have to stick to regional shows, I’ll live. Having said that though, I am serious about learning and improving. I have been aiming to spend some time studying and maybe living in Germany (and riding, of course). For now I’m just going to focus on working towards a USDF gold, gaining training experience and saving up to buy a nice WB mare to show.
We may end us scaling down the vision and scope for our horse facility, and it may not play out how we expect. I’m fine with that. I just want to be sure I’m doing what I can now to position myself so that if that becomes an option, I’m in a situation to go for it.

Also, I see now that framed this as if I was going to decide my career solely based on what would earn me the most. I’m not. I have done extensive aptitude testing and it’s really important to me to be happy and passionate in my career. But I have the aptitude and work ethic to do pretty well in a huge variety of fields, STEM and otherwise. There are just too many options! And I’m getting sick of not knowing what I’m working towards in my schoolwork - since I’m pretty goal oriented obviously XD). So I figured I ask you wonderful COTHers for input to see if it uncovered any new options or considerations. And it has.
So thanks again for the input![/QUOTE]

It looks like a reality check is taking hold. Good for you.

While I don’t completely agree with Danceronice, I think we would agree that a lot of people, especially younger people, would be much happier if they tempered their expectations and dreams with good dose of reality.

The “I can do anything I want” mentality is good to a point. I know CC dropout who decided he wanted to be an astronaut. Sorry, but that isn’t going to just happen.

For the most part, it is a minority of people who hate their jobs every. single. day. It is also a minority of people who love their jobs every. single. day. Most people fall in the middle - good days, bad days, great boss, horrible boss - and are OK with that. The quickest way to unhappiness is to expect to feel a deep seated passion for your work all the time.

One of the happiest people I’ve known was a die-hard pessimist. He & I were in similar, crappy situations. I asked him how he could always smile. “Well, I never expect anything good to happen or things to go right, so when they do I’m pleasantly surprised”

[zaparaquah]

Well I’m still going to dream big. And I’ll still be an optimist. That’s always been my MO and it works for me - because I know how to work for it. Both of my parents have doctorates and work for themselves and love LOVE their jobs. So although I know not everyone is in that boat, I have seen that it is attainable.

I know that I’m not going to love every day of my job. Just like some days at the barn don’t go well. I can take the good with the bad, no problem. But I do need to be passionate about what I do.

[showhorsegallery]

[QUOTE=clanter;8025228]

My youngest son, we never thought we were going to get him out of high school, he was in special ed most of the junior and high school… he now earns seven figures … that is over $1M a year… he is doing something he loves, and is very good at it[/QUOTE]

What does he do? Or what industry is he in? I probably need to make a switch! lol.

[showhorsegallery]

[QUOTE=zaparaquah;8025493]
Well I’m still going to dream big. And I’ll still be an optimist. That’s always been my MO and it works for me - because I know how to work for it. Both of my parents have doctorates and work for themselves and love LOVE their jobs. So although I know not everyone is in that boat, I have seen that it is attainable.

I know that I’m not going to love every day of my job. Just like some days at the barn don’t go well. I can take the good with the bad, no problem. But I do need to be passionate about what I do.[/QUOTE]

I think your attitude is great and I would carry on dreaming big because you’re also willing to work for it.

I have always dreamed big, known where I wanted to go and sacrificed and worked for it. I am leaps and bounds ahead of my peers and those that I graduated with in terms of career advancement, expertise and earnings.

I wanted to be a millionaire by the time I was 30. I’m nowhere close to that goal. But I am 30 making six-figures. So, dream big, fall short, and end up better off then most.

[AppendixQHLover]

I love the type of work that I do in Information Security but it didn’t happen overnight. I used to program and can always fall back on it but I leave the all nighters to the guys that don’t sleep. I enjoy having a life and getting sleep.

Also remember that many of the computer positions haven’t even been created yet. I work for the Federal Government that requires clearance ec which can’t be outsourced. I am working on getting more into the Information Security in the Health Care Sector. I have a couple certifications to get. I have a Master’s degree.

I didn’t get out of college and get this flexibility. I worked many positions that I was low man on the totem pole and had to work.

[BrokenArrow]

Ok I’m going to step out on a limb here and say GO FOR IT!!

My husband and I both work with our horses and have a nice place. We rent but the option of buying in 2 years is very realistic for us. The only thing stopping us is the 20% deposit most banks require for large acerage.

I went to Spain at the end of last year and brought a PRE mare who I’m hoping will be my CDI horse and the step into international competition eventually. Given that she’s only 8 we have all the time in the world.

The way we did it was to have 2 steady jobs the enables us to buy investment properties. The properties were nice but slightly run down so we put things in like new carpet and paint to freshen them up. Nothing really expensive either. Then they were rented out until the areas we brought in became popular then sold up. This gave us a fair chunk of play money to do the same thing again and also invest in some nice horses too!

We started with nothing. Except a dream, a plan to put it all in place and 2 OTTB’s at a boarding farm. Now we both have really nice horses, a good truck and a really nice plan with good facilities which we can buy in 2 years. You have to be smart and be prepared for some risks and some stuff ups when those risks don’t work out. But the end of the road is more than worth it.

[zaparaquah]

[QUOTE=BrokenArrow;8026764]

I went to Spain at the end of last year and brought a PRE mare who I’m hoping will be my CDI horse and the step into international competition eventually. Given that she’s only 8 we have all the time in the world.

The way we did it was to have 2 steady jobs the enables us to buy investment properties. The properties were nice but slightly run down so we put things in like new carpet and paint to freshen them up. Nothing really expensive either. Then they were rented out until the areas we brought in became popular then sold up. This gave us a fair chunk of play money to do the same thing again and also invest in some nice horses too!

We started with nothing. Except a dream, a plan to put it all in place and 2 OTTB’s at a boarding farm. Now we both have really nice horses, a good truck and a really nice plan with good facilities which we can buy in 2 years. You have to be smart and be prepared for some risks and some stuff ups when those risks don’t work out. But the end of the road is more than worth it.[/QUOTE]

Ooh thank you so much for the insight! I’d actually been following your thread about horse shopping in Spain (your mare is LOVELY by the way), and was wondering what kind of voodoo it would take to be able to horse shop abroad. Now I have my answer!!