>>12076798
Perhaps I am a weird one - and by no means am I thriving as I had envisioned when I began adulthood - but I see all of these things as a means to an end. What do I really want to do? Have a house and property paid for that I can raise a family in and have family at for holidays and such. Big and grandiose would be fun, but at this point getting what I have sorted is good enough for now.
I would also love to spend my day programming computers, millng/printing designs and prototypes, etc. Working it out so that was how I made my living would be great - I think.
A career is kind of ancillary to all of that - the means to an end. At one point, I wanted to work for Northrop-Grumman, be able to work on advanced aircraft designs, etc - but at this stage I simply don't have the political capital to place myself and absolutely no desire to play the politics of such a game. And, realistically, my desire to start up and design my own defense contractor is not something permissible in the current climate - again being beyond the political capital I have or can acquire pending some form of revolution.
The career for me is not the goal - it is the tool. Or perhaps more to say the contract of the tool that is my skills and knowledge.
Take that advice as what you will, as one could easily make the argument I am wasted potential or only living up to a fraction of what I could be - but I have seen how many people with careers behave, and I want none of that. It's a world of people more concerned with advancing by making others around them look stupid rather than being, themselves, exceptional.