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  • I need career advice! :)

    Hello everyone,
    I need help finding an answer to the predicament that I’m in.
    Over the course of a few years, my worldview has recently changed into one where I must devote my life--using a career--to assist humans that suffer the most on earth; this needs to happen in order to bring fulfillment and meaning to my life. However, due to OCD (I believe it impairs decision making) and lack of information, I can’t seem to pinpoint the group of humans that objectively suffer the most. In the recent past, I typed up a little argument thing explaining why I am stuck in life, and I think it would be beneficial for you all to see. I will paste it at the end of this post.
    The need to help people does not come from wanting to be looked up to, pride, or a "holier than thou" attitude: it comes from the Golden Rule and empathy: I'd like for people to help me if I were in some of these miserable existence's shoes. I can feel their agony, and I know that I would never want to suffer that much. I would want someone to assist me; I would want the suffering to end.
    I can think of many people that need help, but I’m not sure how to find a nice little, objective list of what causes the most miserable, agonizing existences. The way my mind works--probably due to the OCD--is that I always need to have the best, highest, elitist, most significant everything. And in the case of a career to help others, I believe helping the people that need the most assistance is respectable and possible. I just need help learning and getting there! Sure, I can go back to college now and maybe major in a health field, but because I haven’t became aware of other possible majors, I will probably regret my choice and wonder if another major would have prepared me for a more respectable career--one that would allow me to help people who suffer in a worse way than said major did. This is a recurring thought process, and I am getting absolutely nowhere. The staying in my parent’s house is already old, and I want to get my life of meaning started!
    Possible afflictors could be bad mental problems (like depression or schizo), lack of food or water, lack of medical care, filthy living conditions, physically handicapped/mentally challenged, diseased, forced work (slavery), war torture, sex trafficking, or bullying. I also need to factor in the fact that since some folks are used to certain types of hardships, their suffering won't be as bad as outsiders perceive; this further complicated matters.
    Up until now in this post I have focused on the demand/need side of choosing a career, but an equally important side is that of my innate skills and interests. I know for a fact that a social career would NOT be a fit for me: I am a big introvert. I'd like to work "behind the scenes," so to speak. I know that this will limit my potential for meaningful change, but I am not a "people person". Also, my worst subject in school was math: I do not need a math-related career. However, after taking close to 20 career tests, I know that I excel in attention to detail, being precise, and following orderly directions. That is the attribute that scored the highest in most of the career tests. So, I’m fully aware that “me” will significantly diminish the range of career choices that I will be happy with. But here is the argument that I mentioned in the first paragraph:

    1. It's conceivable there is a group of humans on earth that have endured the most suffering of the worst type; these humans will have underwent prolonged agony to an extent that death is a highly attractive option.
    2. In order to bring meaning to my life, I must have a career where I can assist the members of said group to a place where death is no longer desired.
    3. I am unable to pinpoint what type of suffering said group is dealing with.
    4. I am unable to choose a major to help me prepare for the career.
    5. I am unable to work where I need to be.
    Respectfully,
    Shane

  • #2
    Hey, Shane.

    A few questions might help people understand your situation a little better.

    1. Age?

    2. How many years of college have you completed so far? Current major or degree?

    3. This part of your post stood out to me:
    "to assist humans that suffer the most on earth; ... due to OCD (I believe it impairs decision making) and lack of information, I can’t seem to pinpoint the group of humans that objectively suffer the most. ... I’m not sure how to find a nice little, objective list of what causes the most miserable, agonizing existences. The way my mind works--probably due to the OCD--is that I always need to have the best, highest, elitist, most significant everything."

    - This seems to be part of your OCD thinking and is unrealistic. Not easy to quantify suffering. Focus more on your strengths and desires so that you will be happy and fulfilled in the type of service work you choose or you will burn out and not be of much help to others.

    4. This is a choice that you will need to make for yourself. Don't look for too much advice from others. That might be a way of not facing all of the questions in your life that are good and healthy to address as part of your growth and maturity. Take your time. Learn from and engage those who are closest to you, regardless of how one might quantify their level of suffering.

    5. Good luck and God bless!
    βλέπομεν γὰρ ἄρτι δι᾿ ἐσόπτρου ἐν αἰνίγματι, τότε δὲ πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον·
    ἄρτι γινώσκω ἐκ μέρους, τότε δὲ ἐπιγνώσομαι καθὼς καὶ ἐπεγνώσθην.

    אָכֵ֕ן אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל מִסְתַּתֵּ֑ר אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃

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    • #3
      Hello robrecht,

      Thank you for the reply and valuable information. I am 21-years-old, and I have an AS degree.

      Your bit about burn out really makes sense to me, and I hadn't thought of that. I'm just not sure how to convince myself that there is no single worst affliction. I still feel like I could use my strengths and desires to work with people from that group, you know?

      What would be a good way to find out what my strengths and desires are?

      Thanks,
      Shane

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Shaney777 View Post
        Hello robrecht,

        Thank you for the reply and valuable information. I am 21-years-old, and I have an AS degree.

        Your bit about burn out really makes sense to me, and I hadn't thought of that. I'm just not sure how to convince myself that there is no single worst affliction. I still feel like I could use my strengths and desires to work with people from that group, you know?

        What would be a good way to find out what my strengths and desires are?

        Thanks,
        Shane
        Try a lot of different things. Get to know people who work in the various fields you are considering. What have you enjoyed studying? What did you get good grades in? What did you do extra reading on your own that was not required? Sometimes you can get on the job experience by being an intern or volunteer. It is typically easy to volunteer for various kinds of ministry.
        βλέπομεν γὰρ ἄρτι δι᾿ ἐσόπτρου ἐν αἰνίγματι, τότε δὲ πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον·
        ἄρτι γινώσκω ἐκ μέρους, τότε δὲ ἐπιγνώσομαι καθὼς καὶ ἐπεγνώσθην.

        אָכֵ֕ן אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל מִסְתַּתֵּ֑ר אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃

        Comment

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