Are you truly happy in your vocation? What did you think I was interested in??

The man/woman who has found his real vocation is truly a happy person. For him/her work is not hard. No hours are long enough to tire his/her body; no thought is difficult enough to weary his/her mind; to him/her there is no day and no night, no quitting time, no weelends. He/she is at the business for which they were created — and all is play. Thomas A. Edison made the journey to the pinnacle because early in life he found his vocation. Men/women usually are failures because they tried to do things for which they were not intended. Fame comes only to the man, or woman, who loves his work so well that it is not work but play. It comes only to him/her who does something with marvellous efficiency. Work alone can not produce that kind of efficiency. Efficiency Comes from Enjoyment... But here's the rub. You will never do anything with that brilliant efficiency except if it's what you LIKE TO DO. Efficiency does not come from duty, or necessity, or goading, or lashing, or anything under heaven except for the ENJOYMENT OF THE THING ITSELF. Nothing less will ever release those hidden powers, those miraculous forces which, for the lack of a better name, we call "genius." You will succeed in a vocation that you do for the pleasure of doing and not for the pay.

very well said. I made a comment to someone about wanting to be with someone whom was very driven and ambitious and had the career or working toward a career that they wanted. I tried to explain it I said that if you weren't happy at work then ud just bring all that home and into the relationship...anyway you put it sooo much better so glad im not the only one that sees and gets that!!!

I think if you are a passionate person then that should carry over into your job-your life-your relationships-if you can't be passionate about your job -find e new one- we all need fun-freedom-love-self empowerment to be happy. Money is addicting-worse than nicotine. A well balanced life-centered on love and caring-will attract happiness to you.

Finding out what work makes you truly happy, is quite something. I think this is what most ppl, and certainly youth, are struggling with this day and age. Part of our newly acquired freedom of choice.
I myself have tried different things, but found out after a few years it wasn't the job/work for me after all.
But I do see this as a learning curve. I've had very different vocations, varying from English teacher, medical assistant, administrative worker to proprietor of an online shop.
Tried to get my own practice going, didn't work out. Still struggling with what it is I want.

I'm a typical "Jack of all trades, Mistress of none", which is my specialty. Problem is, it's almost impossible to flog. Employers think I'm too unreliable, changeable etc, think I won't stay on for any length of time. They fail to see that it's a learning curve, don't see what qualities I have acquired from all those different jobs, and that, given the right job and position, I will give it the 100%.

I got into the electrical trade as a way to provide for myself. I enjoy it enough I guess because I'm good at it. Many times people will say on the job "Are you having fun yet?" My reply is always the same "I don't do this for fun, I do this to make money." They assume I hate my job & I don't, It's just what I do..

I draw and play music because I love to do it. Its fulfilling to me. I don't do it to make a living because I think if I did it wouldn't be as fun for me. When doing for a living I feel like I'd be combining it with all the stressful crap that my art is the outlet for. After doing some work freelance and getting paid for it I didn't feel fulfilled like I normally do. I didn't like that the love for my art didn't feel like it was there. So I won't do it for a living. Granted I do still make pictures for people whom are my friends. Usually when I do though its something I'm interested in drawing anyway and nine out of ten times I'm doing it for free.

Some days are better than others. We all have bad days. I've been writing songs since I was sixteen, so I still do that times. I also write my own fiction, and comedy scripts. I keep them as blogs. It's easier, than doing it all on paper. Paper can get dropped, crumpled up, or a spilled drink on it, which is why I prefer storing them on the internet.

Farming, a vocation not taken up by many, but I have friends who live on a farm and even though they spend long hours in their chosen vocation they love every minute of it. It is such a joy to spend time with them, they are so happy. Not everyone could or wants to be a farmer but if everyone found their calling I think how much better off we all would be. More pride in what we do and less crime...

I think it all depends. I usually just work for the money but I try to break my work area from a dull dead one to a laughing one. If I don't see this as viable usually I just quit and get another job. Also if you are single then you can prioritize your career but if you aren't single then you should probably focus on your family/significant other. Money comes and goes. I think the idea of neglecting your significant other to work bad shifts and overtime to get ahead and establish yourselves early quite often ends badly. Night shift and shift work sucks. I enjoyed a few parts of the jobs I have had over the years like fixing oilfield equipment and driving heavy equipment. I have also had jobs that were terrible in almost all aspects except for some of the people I met. With increasing over population and underemployment/unemployment combined with technology I have often wondered what the future holds for the traditional workforce and where this will lead us in the future. The current system is bad. People aren't utilized to anywhere near their potential and there's some amazing people out there doing meaningless jobs.

amen

Having a career you love versus just a job that allows income or other freedoms is truly a blessing but I don't know if it the total key to happiness.

A quality of life comes from having a balance of both work, rest, recreation, family, faith, and _____ pick your own priority but "off duty" time.

I truly loved the two very divergent careers I had over the years. Maybe because they complimented each other where either separately would have left me wanting something the other offered. Neither really felt like work most of the time. But yea even sometime a job is going to be a job. I guarantee you that as diverse, rewarding, helpful, awesome as farming can be your friends take or need a break sometime.

And I like to do my job,its a big part of who we are
more so with the likes of people like me that sacrifice everything piece by piece,
little by little.
I'm taking about people that are single
and life is just another town another
mountain,its always "one down one to go
another town and one more show".
If you are out here for the money you
are going to get killed, it as simple as
that. I'm not going to plan my exit.
I will get of the helicopter grab my saws, kiss them, and throw them in the ocean then charter a plane out, it will be that spontaneous, just like
when I left my wife. ..but she kept finding
her way home.