Moment of clarity

Well of course, I think everyone has had that thought at some point or another. I like to think of it as your natural instinct to better yourself. I mean you've got all these hours countin white lines, if that's the weirdest thought you've had, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Trust me, you're brain can take you to some pretty weird places without enough stimulation xD No brain, I still don't know why we can put a man on the moon but can't get out of the DMV in less than an hour..it doesn't make sense to me earlier.

Just remember, it's ok to talk to yourself, it's just when you start answering back that you've got a problem. hehehe.

 

my dad finally stopped asking when I'm going back to a "real" job. lol. he's a 35 yr IBM retiree and I am a college grad, who used to do Quality Control as a manager. gov contracts are a real pain !!

corp burn out ? maybe. I just have trouble dealing with bull**** all day. driving it's only at some customers, then back in truck and solitude.

 

You're thoughts are perfectly natural. I come from a very large family counting uncles, cousins, etc. and except for myself and one male cousin, everyone has degrees and are doctors, lawyers, corporate exec's, teachers (highschool & university), my wife has an MBA. The cousin I mentioned that isn't degreed is a tattoo artist and his wife is a school teacher and a good one. So my cousin and myself, found our comfort zone in life and quit questioning ourselves many years ago. You're doing OK; keep up the good work.

In addition, my relatives didn't really question my career decision, but they did my retirement decision. Had a 2 week yard sale, sold everything except personal library & oil paintings I purchased over the years. Sold both cars, the house , grabbed the suitcases and flew to the Orient, bought 2 condo's, live in one, rent the other. We haven't looked back. Just one life to live.

 

Thats the problem with drivers....too much time to think.

 

Thanks for the thread. I just left a professional job and start my trucking career next Monday. I'm really curious what my answers to your questions will be.

Will I love it or will or will the easier money, a lot less hours but a LOT more BS lure me back? I'm looking forward to finding out.

But, I will say I shocked my 82 year old father when I told him this weekend.

 

I think everyone has those thoughts? The "roofer" busting his ### in the hot sun/freezing cold. The bored housewife at home. The assembly line factory worker with a college degree.. I could go on but hopefully ya get the idea..

Would someone dig up the ol' Jackson Browne tune "Running On Empty" ? Afterthought: The plot thickens as the older I get and look back on my life those three terrible words tend to pop up.. (If I) Woulda... Coulda... Shoulda... ####. Now I'm depressed.

 

You're not alone, I've had the similar experiences. This is an industry where many people do it because they have to. IOW, it is just about the best paying job they have the skills and aptitude to do. But there are also those who do the job because they want to. I am one of those people. I make no bones that the reason I choose this job is because its the most money I can make for least amount of effort and stress. I can make more money doing other things. But I my quality of life would be lower from the stress and strain of it. Speaking of quality of life, I should note that I don't drive OTR. If OTR were my only option I wouldn't be in the industry because the quality of life factors would then favor my other career options. IOW, I do it because it pays ok and its pretty easy. And sometimes that starts to feel like a cop out.

So yeah, it gets hard sometimes being in an industry that your friends and family judge as being below you. If I get to thinking about it too much, I try to beef up on the distractions. Lots of audiobooks and podcasts and I spend as much time recreating on my off hours as possible. I've just found a website the lists every free online course that every major university in the country has to offer. I'm thinking of taking a class or two just to see where it leads.