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Part 2: (continued from husum_air_force)

Cue the wind energy boom. Truly luck of the dumbest variety laid the perfect solution right at my feet. I've been involved in wind energy since 2007 and absolutely love my job. I could not imagine a better mix of purpose, activity, and technical challenge. I don't get out on the river as much but that's fine because I've been there and done that. I've got new challenges ahead of me and I'm very excited about the direction my life is going. By the way ... in my travels I happened to meet and marry the woman of my dreams. We live in a little house right next to a waterfall and just had our first baby. Like I said life is good!

Regarding the "quarter life crisis" I really think my life would've been remarkably different if I HADN'T listened to the devil on my shoulder that kept saying "This sucks and you know it!" My advice to folks about to experience the "quarter life crisis" is GO FOR IT! Results may vary but here's a couple guidelines.

1) get rid of the negative - quit your sucky job, dump your loser boyfriend/girlfriend, don't hang out with or listen to friends/family who are negative

2) surround yourself with the positive - actively seek out things you've always wanted to do, seek and explore other directions or career options, make life happen!

posted 3 years, 1 month ago
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Part 1:

Up until I heard OPB use the phrase "quarter life crisis" last night I'd always assumed I'd just had my "mid life crisis" unusually early (or, unfortunately, wasn't going to live very long). Once I heard your description of "quarter life crisis" I had one of those forehead slapping moments ... "So that's what that was!"

In a word here's the summary of my "quarter life crisis" ... it was AWESOME. It was probably one of the most fun, crazy couple years of my life. I recognized that I was unhappy the direction my life was headed and actually DID SOMETHING about it early enough to make a difference. Long story short, I didn't sit around and passively let life happen to me.

Here's the details ... I was a young, energetic, successful engineer that was stuck inside all day with older coworkers that were fat, tanless, grumps. We didn't make anything cool, useful, or necessary. We made measurement equipment for companies that sold video games to fat kids. Add to the mix that I had developed a nasty addiction to the sport of whitewater kayaking. Every day and every minute I spent with these pale pod people in this pointless (yet lucrative) occupation seemed wasteful of my kayaking ability. All I wanted to do was be outside and play. Not the most lucrative of occupations ... but it WAS an occupation.

So that's what happened I gave up my job, sold my stupid house, ceased all pretenses of seriousness in romantic attachments, paid all my debts and just lived on the river for a couple years. That's right ... YEARS ... I kayaked everything I wanted to from South America to Alaska and managed to get by just fine with some rafting guiding gigs that brought in some cash every now and then. My wants were accordingly minimal and life was very good.

In addition to "living the good life" I unwittingly offered myself a whole lot of time for self reflection. I realized I was talented enough to succeed in my engineering career but simply lacked motivation to do so because it lacked purpose. I toyed with a career in the medical field ... truly what greater purpose can there be? .... but realized I didn't have the personality or time for it. I was left with engineering but how could I use it 1) for the benefit of society? and 2) preferably outside?

posted 3 years, 1 month ago
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