Are you happy with a "normal" life?

[AreaCode707]

I often think I would be happier with a "normal-er" life but I know I wouldn't be satisfied.

I'm stressed with my workload (80-100 hrs/week at peak times, probably 1/3 of the year) and not living where I want, but whenever I dial it back and realize how much longer it'll take me to achieve my goals, or what goals it puts out of reach, I get edgy and antsy until I'm back pouring my all into working towards my goals.

I'm joshsquall's "really ambitious" model. Graduated early, went straight to work, climbed the ladder, killing myself for the payoff and all because I want to live in a particular place and in a particular way and retire early.

The nice thing is that life is starting to shift to the payoff. Wrapping up a PERFECT property purchase in my dream area, taking care of some friendly little goats to start our "retirement business", and starting to think forward a few years to when we can bring foster teens into our home.

So... no, I guess I'm no ok being normal, but I don't think of myself as being much different than the "normal" people out there, really. I do definitely see myself as different from the free spirit artistic types though.

 

[JEDI]

I often think I would be happier with a "normal-er" life but I know I wouldn't be satisfied.

I'm stressed with my workload (80-100 hrs/week at peak times, probably 1/3 of the year) and not living where I want, but whenever I dial it back and realize how much longer it'll take me to achieve my goals, or what goals it puts out of reach, I get edgy and antsy until I'm back pouring my all into working towards my goals.

I'm joshsquall's "really ambitious" model. Graduated early, went straight to work, climbed the ladder, killing myself for the payoff and all because I want to live in a particular place and in a particular way and retire early.

The nice thing is that life is starting to shift to the payoff. Wrapping up a PERFECT property purchase in my dream area, taking care of some friendly little goats to start our "retirement business", and starting to think forward a few years to when we can bring foster teens into our home.

So... no, I guess I'm no ok being normal, but I don't think of myself as being much different than the "normal" people out there, really. I do definitely see myself as different from the free spirit artistic types though.

whats joshqualls?

wiki failed

 

[StinkyPinky]

I think I'm content rather than happy. The reality is that 99% of us need to live a "normal" life or the economy will implode.

I love my wife and son...but how many young boys dream about being married with kids and an office job? However one day you have to wake up and smell the roses. For every pro-athelete there's a thousand failed ones. For every movie star, there's a thousand hollywood waiters. For every Jedi Knight, there's a thousand dead storm troopers.

 

[vi edit]

There's definitely some days where I wish I was the eternal bachelor with no real responsibility in my life.... but a lot of my friends and coworkers that live that lifestyle just seem really lonely. It's one thing to be single/kid free in your 20's. It's something different to be that way in your 30's and beyond. A lot of them have just given up and settled in their own ways.

My "normal life" provides a very nice sense of security and comfort knowing that I've got a loving wife in bed next to me each night, no real worries about how to pay for bills, and very little life drama. I've certainly settled for some things with my path of life but I'm cool with it.

 

[RKS]

I barely work 40 hours/week, have a great wife, two happy kids, no car notes, a house that I am not upside-down on, and a career that easily allows me to work for myself if I quit my current position.

I'm happy with my 'normal' life because I got a chance to live the 'other' life of traveling, no restrictions, and no real responsibilities and choose when I wanted a more stable lifestyle.

 

[purbeast0]

i'm pretty happy where I am right now.

i do want to buy a house at some point in the near future, but I also want to travel more.

my new job is making it a lot easier for my wife and I to travel financially. we are planning to take 1 week vacations at least 2x a year with probably some 'mini-vacations' between, barring we have enough vacation days.

 

[KeithTalent]

it's all good! it happens

Indeed it does. Cool guys like us will be fine.

KT

 

[Red Squirrel]

Ummm, this doesn't mean what i think it means does it? :$

I think it does. But It's MINE. MY PRECIOUS!!

 

[JulesMaximus]

I was laid off less than a month ago...be happy your husband still has a job I guess.

That said, I'm happy with my life. My wife and I own our home (and we have quite a bit of equity in it), we are not struggling financially and we have a wonderful 7 year old boy.

 

[guyver01]

whats joshqualls?

wiki failed

did you actually read the thread? or just stalk HotChic?

I think there comes a point in your life where you have to choose between a few paths.

- Really ambitious. Sacrifice personal life for work. More financially stable. You realize you can work your ass off now and maybe retire early down the road.
- Really anti-ambitious. Sacrifice work for personal life. More financially unstable. You realize life isn't about working and place fun and happiness above knowing where your rent or food money will come from.
- Middle of the road. You balance work and personal life. You realize that life isn't about working, but that it's necessary to live a decent lifestyle and provide for your family.

Personally, I could never be anything but the last.

 

[Colt45]

I would love to be travelling several months a year, unfortunately I wasn't born with a silver spoon, so I don't have much of a choice.

edit: I'm a miserable SOB if that wasn't clear. "normal" sucks.

 

[Schadenfroh]

No, but that will change when I conquer the world.... twice

 

[chipy]

flying off to Prague or Croatia for a month on a whim...

BM, is that your rich friend? curious as to what s/he does that allows him/her to take those kinds of vacations. thx!

i'm at a crossroads myself. like another poster said, i'm ambitious but i'm getting to the point where i want to settle down and lead a good life... enjoy it day to day. but i know at some point i will get bored with work and the normalcy and want excitement and a challenge. what to do...

 

[ussfletcher]

I am still in school, but as long as I can remember I have felt like I want to do great things and be hugely successful, I fear I will not be happy until I feel that way.

 

[JEDI]

I love my wife and son...but how many young boys dream about being married with kids and an office job? However one day you have to wake up and smell the roses. For every pro-athelete there's a thousand failed ones. For every movie star, there's a thousand hollywood waiters. For every Jedi Knight, there's a thousand dead storm troopers.

u rang?

 

[alkemyst]

you can do it both. There are repercussions. I still have fun.

 

[JEDI]

you can do it both. There are repercussions. I still have fun.

eh? what are the repercussions?

 

[alkemyst]

job options at times, social circle limitations, etc. It's pretty clear.

Take any pic here of some chick with a bunch of tats, almost 90% of the posters are quick to say 'slut'

 

[irishScott]

I intend to live a kick ass life. Kick ass > normal IMHO. For the record, I'm 22.

Thing is, I'm all about my personal freedom. I've had too many people intentionally fucking up my life for too long, not to be. I'm sure when I graduate I'll get a job, apartment (and later house) and so on, but that will just be my base. To this day I take random road trips to abandoned amusement parks at 3:30 in the morning, because I feel like it at 2:30. Once I get a decent salary, I'll have that much more freedom. May have to save it for the weekends, but it'll be there. For those who say it won't, I'll find a way. I always do eventually.

As for the rest of my life, I just want to make a significant positive impact, at least. Ideally I'd like to do something worthy of the history books (in a positive way), and as arrogant as it may sound, I think I'd be up to it circumstances permitting. Besides, if wanting to make a great positive difference makes me arrogant than I pity the culture.

Yes, I'm a young hopeless idealist. Call me immature if you like, but this attitude's got me through some pretty heavy shit. In some ways I've accomplished more than many my age; and I say that as a dry fact with a little pride behind it. I see no reason to stop.

 

[alkemyst]

22 eh, you do realize your thoughts are par for the course at that age? Been through more, done more, made more, etc.

My question is with such a full life, what is a mybrute.com link doing as a sig? That the best summation you can come up with?

The santa christ seals the deal.

 

[sandorski]

Whoah

 

[Locut0s]

I don't have a life,..., yet.

 

[meltdown75]

Indeed it does. Cool guys like us will be fine.

KT

:thumbsup:

 

[Locut0s]

34 and was married for 6 years. I know I act extremely immature. KT

I wouldn't say immature, I just thought you were younger :-D

I thought you were younger too KT and I know what you look like. You don't look 34.

 

[irishScott]

22 eh, you do realize your thoughts are par for the course at that age? Been through more, done more, made more, etc.

My question is with such a full life, what is a mybrute.com link doing as a sig? That the best summation you can come up with?

The santa christ seals the deal.

I said more than many, not more than all (not even close). I know plenty of people who have been through more than me as well, in some ways. I'm not saying my personal accomplishments or experience make me superior, just that my way of doing things has been more proven than many.

My life is full in part because I enjoy little things like mybrute and Santa Christ. And a lot of other things for that matter. To reverse the question, how does having a mybrute.com link and Santa Christ in my sig say I don't have a full life? Are you seriously judging me by my forum sig? By that logic everyone on boincstats has no life as all they have in their sigs are huge distributed computing credit charts.