BootsnAll Travel Community

Im at an interesting fork in my life, and Im not sure how to go about it.

The brief (ok, long) summary is this:

I left to go away for a year, but only got 1/4 of the way through before I injured myself badly enough that I had to come home for surgery/recovery. Since then, I've been living at home with my parents and working part time around my physical therapy sessions. I am so bored. Physically, im getting much better and am already planning to get back on the road as soon as I get the ok from my doctors...which im hoping will be May/ Junish. Mentally, I've had one foot out the door since I had to ubruptly end my trip. I would leave tomorrow if I could.

but..

My mother who is a kick ass real estate agent in my hometown recently took a promotion to a managerial position. Doing such, she cant buy/sell houses anymore and wants me to get my license to take over her listings. Normally, I would be totally against this, but she has a whole bunch of people and deals already on the table, that I would in a sense just be getting for being her lovely daughter. Theres a possibility of real great moeny in a short period of time.

Now, I really want to get out of town. Where I grew up, is not where I see myself planting roots. Part of me feels that if I take on this job, I'll get sucked in and become a lifer. Selling is NOT what I want to do with my life, but who am I to turn a gift horse in the mouth?

Im tempted to take the job, and put off my departure until September... that way I'll have way more money in the bank. It is the smarter decision. But im so afraid that once I start working again full time it will be harder for me to leave. One thing will lead to another, closing dates will be set for the future, and the next thing I know its next January and Im still back at home plugging away.

Do I screw the money and just go as soon as Im well enough? Or do I stick around for a few months to make some more cash, and hope that I dont get stuck there?

What would you do?

Kelly,
So sorry to hear about your injury. That really sucks. Glad to hear you are on the mend.

If you take this job, make your deadlines hard. September. That's it. No compromise. In addition, you will have more time to heal.

If you don't take the job, then simply travel. What ever you do. Make sure you are happy.

Best of luck,
Jet

This is the kind of brutally tough decision many of us face: wanderlust or career, good-paying job we hate vs. poor-paying job we love.

On one level it's like that, on another, it doesn't have to be this way. Do you know what kind of career you'd like to take? If it's not real estate, then say "thanks but no thanks," finish your trip and find a job in your field/go back to school.

If it IS related to your mom's work, ask her if she can wait for you to get back. If not, maybe you could work for a year or two to get some experience but cling to your real goals.

If you're serious about leaving and you set some goals about it, like writing "quit job today" on your calendar, I don't think you'll get stuck.

Just don't have any kids!! That's a killer!

That's a tough choice. If it's possible to just take her current listings and grab a few easy commissions, I'd go for it, but if there's any long-term commitment - definitely not.

I know after I cut a trip short - in my case for financial reasons, but I doubt it makes much difference what the reason is - I did nothing but dream of going out for another big trip. Now that I have, though I still dream of tavelling, I think I can be content with shorter trips for a few years while I build up my experience, income and bank account. But I wouldn't have been ready for that without having gone out again.

You didn't mention your age but I would assume from the context that you are 20-something....

It may seem like a turn in the wrong direction now, but taking the lucrative offer from you mother may be a better deal in the long run than you can see from the here and now. A good opportunity to learn and prosper shouldn't be cast aside lightly, even if it isn't the image that you imagine for yourself. Life changes without notice and all employment skills are valuable somewhere along the line as time goes by. This could be a learning experience that you will value later on--much more so than you now think.

Considering that you are:
young
recovering from a debilitating injury
being offered an easy opportunity

I say: Go for it! Let mom help you now. You can leave later with job experience you may want someday. The world will still be there for you when you're ready, fit, and able to kick some a*s.

It is a tough decision you have to make. There are many schools of thought on the matter. I started travelling at avery young age on my own(16). I went to university after high school but decided to travel and dropped out. Later bowing to pressure from family I went back. The travelled for a few more years. Again I bowed to pressure and went "career". This lasted all of two years before I went bonkers. I am now travelling again taking jobs that either allow me to save up(as I am doing now) or take jobs that allow me to travel.

You have to make the decision of what is more important to you. Don't make it in haste but do make it so that you will be satisfied not some one else.

Thank you all so much for your thoughtful responses! Its always great to get a few opinions on something.

Im still mulling it over - as its something I dont want to jump right into without looking at the big picture. I need to have a sit down with my mother and talk it through.

I do agree, that I need to set some deadlines for myself and September would be it...if I wanted to continue on my previously cut short trip. Thats when I need to enter NZ by to activate my WHV. Whether or not I choose to get licensed before and take on a few sales, is something Im still debating. The thing with real estate is that its not easy to just have a quitting date. You have sales and people that are dependent on you, and you need to have some follow through. I dont want to quit in September and just say "See ya later suckers, its been real" and head out leaving them hanging. So it complicates things. I think if I could easily close the deals by September I would be more than willing to do so.But in all likely hood, I would need to commit more time than 5 months.

I have also been toying around with the idea or changing my trip all together. Rather than head out to NZ for a year as I had planned - maybe go to India for 2 months and save NZ for another time. That way, I get my travel bug out, but not for as long as I had been planning. (But I really want to go to NZ!)

And the final possibility I am considering is taking my real estate class/ exam now, while im recovering and have free time, and upon getting back from my travels start it up and see what I think.

Real Estate isnt exactly the venue I see myself in for years to come, but its also not something I am dead set against. Honestly, I still havent a clue what I want to do. And it would be worth exploring the option.

Gosh, I wish being a grown up wasnt so hard! I hate making life decisions!

quote:

Originally posted by kforkelly:

Gosh, I wish being a grown up wasnt so hard! I hate making life decisions!

You ain't seen nuthin yet.