We’re back. One topic, a female perspective, a male perspective. What’s yours? Firstly, we’d like to introduce ourselves to you first before we dive in. We aren’t your typical couple – we met on Tinder, Sean lives in Melbourne – I (Ola) live in Sydney (thank you Apple for FaceTime). We bicker like any couple but we definitely have strong respect and care for one another. We’re lucky enough to be on a roll with He Says, She Says articles about various things in life. This week’s conundrum: career goals.
He Says:
I was raised with the idea that my destiny was to one day run the family business. I’m a second generation locksmith and I love what I do. The bar of expectation to get qualified and secure(pun not intended) a place in my own life’s future however didn’t come without a price. Sacrifices were made and today my father and I are left picking up the pieces of what should’ve been a father and son who despite many differences had a level of respect and mutual admiration for one another.
Many long hours of hard work is what eventually paid off for me to be able to say with pride that before the time I was twenty-one years of age I had completed my apprenticeship and was qualified as a locksmith. Also I know how lucky I am to have seen and seized the opportunities that have been presented to me. And I know without a doubt I wouldn’t be where I am if I didn’t recognise it but I have myself to thank for taking the leap.
I’ve traded it all for another turn at education and the unknown territory that is the pursuit of happiness. It’s never to late to go for whatever it is you want to do in life.
It’s a struggle perfecting life in your twenties as a professional. I’m constantly asking myself why I do the things do. Am I in the right career? Am I making enough money? What if I’m not happy? Could I be doing better? And unfortunately this is compounded. It starts to affect everything I do even from making sometimes the simplest decisions. Some days I’d prefer not to get out of bed at all if meant I didn’t have the stress of what having a career can bring.
The quarter life crisis is very very real for a lot of men in my age group and statically speaking at twenty six it only get harder from here. My reaction to the said compounding factors of stress and crisis have led me to stray from a stable nine to five gig and the familiarity of what I know best. I’ve traded it all for another turn at education and the unknown territory that is the pursuit of happiness. It’s never to late to go for whatever it is you want to do in life. For me retirement means giving up on your dreams and aspirations to become a bystander to your own destiny.
My advice is simple. Keep your chin high and if possible reflect on all the obstacles that you’ve overcome to be where you are today. Reflect and realise the many options you have ahead of you and don’t be afraid to accept change in your life. After all isn’t “rolling with the punches” what the manliest of men do?
She Says:
My mother (Mama Bato) came to Australia to give her children a better life. I was brought up by a very powerful woman who taught me that whatever I wanted I could have – but I had to work for it. Mama Bato always allowed me to explore my interests and would do anything in her power to help me. I was raised knowing that my parents had less opportunities since they grew up in militarism and damn I am lucky to be living in this amazing country. I’m living in Bondi Beach, doing a degree I love and in my dream job – oh yes, the good life – expensive, but good.
Sean and my parents have both influenced our decisions greatly as I’m sure is the same for most of us – however we are bloody grateful we have finally found what we love to do.
My career as a writer didn’t exactly start with writing. I wanted to be an architect, work for the UN, I wanted to be a lawyer, for two days, I wanted to go into criminology since my Facebook stalking skills are second to none. Then one day I decided I was going to be a teacher. But to be a teacher, a high school teacher at least, you have to love kids and I mean really love them.
During my teaching degree I decided to take a year off and jet to Europe because the truth was I hated it.
I was extremely lucky because my mother supported every decision I made, just as long as I was happy, BUT on the condition that all my decisions were purposeful.
So there is no perfect way to being your career, you can take a gap year and travel, you can go straight to uni, you can even start an apprenticeship. I will always count my blessings for the fact that my parents allowed me the time to find my own feet. So now, I write – I have all the opportunities in the world. I only wish I can give that to my children, like my mother did. Sean and my parents have both influenced our decisions greatly as I’m sure is the same for most of us – however we are bloody grateful we have finally found what we love to do.
You do you – because nobody else can.
