Im torn on if i should get a dog or go to school for dream job.

Mammal-lover

Mammal-lover

Citizen of Zooville
So im posting this on zooville rather someplace like reddit as you guys and gals can fully appreciate and understand the question I am asking.

I've been working a really good job that I hate for awhile now and because of it I have the resources to be able to support a dog at long last even if there's a medical emergency I won't be sweating and desperate. So now I find myself at a crossroads. I can either get a dog and continue to climb the corporate ladder at my company and do quite well for myself but be miserable at work but very happy at home. Or I can save to go to school to do the career I've wanted for over 10 years (I'm 24) be very happy at work but not have the time to support an animal as it involves being away from home quite alot in areas that are not pet friendly. It's a physical job so im running low on time to decide to be able to still build a full career from it. If I get a dog I'll never get that job. If I get that job I'll not be able to get a dog for like 20 years. Unless I meet a nice guy I live with etc etc.

I'm at a crossroads and I need advice. I'm completely torn on wich way to go.
I dont really got friends or family I can turn to and single so no matter wich path I take at this time it's pretty much all or nothing. 2 things I'm very passionate about that will bring me much happiness and satisfaction from life but 2 very different paths.
So please any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated especially if from an educated or experinced standpoint.
 
If I could advise my 24 year-old self, I would strongly recommend that he follow his passion and go for the dream job. I can tell you from absolute experience that staying in a job you are not passionate about simply because it pays well is not fulfilling. Being partnered with a dog is amazing (I don't like to say "owning" a dog), but like any relationship, it cannot fulfill your whole self. Sacrificing a portion of yourself over your whole self is - in my humble opinion - unwise and myopic.

Just my two cents, spend it wisely ;)
 
I feel you and I know how difficult it can be to choose, but unfortulatly nobody can answer for you


I'm thinking about getting a dog now
But having a dog need to be able to give him time and not always leave him alone, that's why if I have a dog and I'm probably going to have to stop competing in the sport that I love the most in the world, maybe I'll be able to continue my sport but I'm going to have to adapt things, but no more competition. But on the other hand I'm gonna get a lot of unconditional love
 
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Really tough decision. I feel for you. All I can say is not making a decision is worse than making the wrong decision and only you can make the decision. What ever you decide stick by it. Your only human and the what ifs will send you insane. We are all struggling to find equilibrium/ ballance in our lives. Good luck!
Brutal.
 
I understand your dilemma. We never know what the future will have planned for us. The decision is do you want to live for today or tomorrow? We all are limited in how many day's we get in life. Our future is not a guarantee. I'm not trying to be a downer in this subject, but some people may not make it 20 years from now. The point I'm trying to make is if you want a dog and are ready for the responsibility, I would go that way. Even though you say you're in a job that is unsatisfactory, just remember there's a partner at home waiting to greet you.
 
Coming from a personal standpoint, I regret never finishing my education for my dream job. Its easier to get a pup down the line but going back to school gets harder and harder as the years go past. Eventually things will fall in line and you need to prioritise yourself and your own happiness. I can't tell you which will give you a better outlook on that as the answer lies with you. Just be realistic with yourself and trust yourself to make the right decisions, and if you don't, it's never the end to change things around- the difficultly will just change depending on what path you take.
 
If you sacrifice the desire to get a dog now and pursue an education to get your dream job you will be happy. If you get a dog while you are in a job that you hate, yes you may be able to fulfil a desire but that dog will pick up on your employment misery and be miserable themselves or spend their time to cheer you up and you probably don't want a support dog, you want a partner. To quote a cliche, good things come to those who wait. If you do your studies, get your dream job and live happy, you will get to a stage when you can either support a partner or (a long way I know) retire with the satisfaction of achieving your dream and then support the partner that you have always dreamed of and you will both live happy, feeding off one anothers joy of being together. Don't know if that helps
 
Mammal-lover said:
So im posting this on zooville rather someplace like reddit as you guys and gals can fully appreciate and understand the question I am asking.

I've been working a really good job that I hate for awhile now and because of it I have the resources to be able to support a dog at long last even if there's a medical emergency I won't be sweating and desperate. So now I find myself at a crossroads. I can either get a dog and continue to climb the corporate ladder at my company and do quite well for myself but be miserable at work but very happy at home. Or I can save to go to school to do the career I've wanted for over 10 years (I'm 24) be very happy at work but not have the time to support an animal as it involves being away from home quite alot in areas that are not pet friendly. It's a physical job so im running low on time to decide to be able to still build a full career from it. If I get a dog I'll never get that job. If I get that job I'll not be able to get a dog for like 20 years. Unless I meet a nice guy I live with etc etc.

I'm at a crossroads and I need advice. I'm completely torn on wich way to go.
I dont really got friends or family I can turn to and single so no matter wich path I take at this time it's pretty much all or nothing. 2 things I'm very passionate about that will bring me much happiness and satisfaction from life but 2 very different paths.
So please any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated especially if from an educated or experinced standpoint.
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Always choose the career you want - go to school. Not trying to be an ass here; but if your really trying to choose between an education and a life long career v. owning a dog; you need to really have a sit down with yourself.

Save your money, go to school, have that career, and then get the things in life you want, as opposed to need. Like the rest of us did. Take it from someone who starved for a few years, there is only one reasonable path here - school; job; then see what life brings you.
 
Take the career, living circumstances can and will change, regardless of what things are now, or even the foreseeable future. Besides, the one thing here you can predict with absolute certainty is your future burnout from whatever it is you do for work now.
 
From an older guy (68) get the dream job first. Once you are set up you will be able to do as you please, wherever you please. Get one dog or a dozen. The dream job will open up avenues you only dream of now. There will be ample time to include a dog, after you are settled. Remember a dog only lives 10 to 15 years of your life. But to the dog you are his/her entire life.
 
Hard to say. School doesn’t pan out for everyone. Education is saturated right now. But bettering yourself is good.
 
Mammal-lover said:
So im posting this on zooville rather someplace like reddit as you guys and gals can fully appreciate and understand the question I am asking.

I've been working a really good job that I hate for awhile now and because of it I have the resources to be able to support a dog at long last even if there's a medical emergency I won't be sweating and desperate. So now I find myself at a crossroads. I can either get a dog and continue to climb the corporate ladder at my company and do quite well for myself but be miserable at work but very happy at home. Or I can save to go to school to do the career I've wanted for over 10 years (I'm 24) be very happy at work but not have the time to support an animal as it involves being away from home quite alot in areas that are not pet friendly. It's a physical job so im running low on time to decide to be able to still build a full career from it. If I get a dog I'll never get that job. If I get that job I'll not be able to get a dog for like 20 years. Unless I meet a nice guy I live with etc etc.

I'm at a crossroads and I need advice. I'm completely torn on wich way to go.
I dont really got friends or family I can turn to and single so no matter wich path I take at this time it's pretty much all or nothing. 2 things I'm very passionate about that will bring me much happiness and satisfaction from life but 2 very different paths.
So please any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated especially if from an educated or experinced standpoint.
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Dont compromise. Just find a way to make the road to happyness paved for both ways.
 
Lincszoo said:
If you sacrifice the desire to get a dog now and pursue an education to get your dream job you will be happy. If you get a dog while you are in a job that you hate, yes you may be able to fulfil a desire but that dog will pick up on your employment misery and be miserable themselves or spend their time to cheer you up and you probably don't want a support dog, you want a partner. To quote a cliche, good things come to those who wait. If you do your studies, get your dream job and live happy, you will get to a stage when you can either support a partner or (a long way I know) retire with the satisfaction of achieving your dream and then support the partner that you have always dreamed of and you will both live happy, feeding off one anothers joy of being together. Don't know if that helps
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Thats actually a beautiful response thank you I appreciate it. As much as I hate it though you are right. It's best to pursue the dream and see where the Chips fall. That way at least I tried
 
How about going for that dream job now and foster dogs, if possible, in the meantime. You will never regret having a higher education which should land you much more money than you would if you hadn't gone to school, only to regret it later.

I understand what you're going through wanting a dog badly now because that's what I'm going through now. Once my life gets back on track I will have more than enough money to afford to take care of a dog, especially the outrageous vet bills that come with it, as well as the maintenance on a house and yard and the car.
 
NobodyHereButUsMice said:
How about going for that dream job now and foster dogs, if possible, in the meantime. You will never regret having a higher education which should land you much more money than you would if you hadn't gone to school, only to regret it later.

I understand what you're going through wanting a dog badly now because that's what I'm going through now. Once my life gets back on track I will have more than enough money to afford to take care of a dog, especially the outrageous vet bills that come with it, as well as the maintenance on a house and yard and the car.
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Good point!
 
Career is the way forward. I have made mistakes in my life to where I'm not currently at the point I wish I was and part of those mistakes were not focusing on my career. Once you have that nailed down you can then get other things to fall into place in the future and your life will feel complete and you will thank yourself later.
 
Career, become stable enough to live in comfort for yourself and a future dog to enjoy. Plus it’s a bit easier to live authentically without financial strain or roommates
 
If your current job brings in good money and has potential for real job progression, that is hard to recommend leaving, especially if it means you can support having a pup financially, time wise, and be happy at home.

Going into debt for school, starting at the bottom in a new industry, and waiting 10-20 years to get a dog because the job is a 'dream' feels like you could still end up in regret for your personal life... and physical jobs often take a toll on your body. Also, 10-15 years could be an entire relationship with a pup.

I went the dream job route, and luckily could still get a dog after college, but after ~10 years working in the industry it just kinda became a job, not miserable, but it wasnt until my dog started showing her age that I truly realized what matters most and how much time was lost. Looking back at our memories together towers over how rewarding my job has been.

However, I think it comes down to how miserable you really are at your job... if you stayed with it the stress might make focusing on the good it brings your home life difficult. I have multiple family members that sort of fell into good paying jobs that are stressful and boring, but can't leave financially and they feel stuck, always dreaming of greener pastures and never seem fulfilled. Ultimately, I would argue that jobs will drain you either way, you will have to make time for your own happiness.
 
If you don't have to financially ruin yourself for a better job, do it. If you have to end up owing six figures after it, don't do it - because if you're going to change your mind halfway through, or the job market changes, you're still on the hook for that debt.
 
You'll be able to buy a dog later. Don't trip. Go for what you truly want to do. Then 20 years later...(if its really that)...HAVE. AT. IT.
 
Don't plan for 20 years, that's ways too long to stay happy. A goal helps, but a goal over such long time spans demotivates or fails very often due to unforeseen developing.

Plan in smaller steps: next five years. Then look and reflect: what do you want to see changed, what is okay, not okay, did your goals or ways of life change?

Then plan the next five years. To plan 20 years of the future will maybe, with much luck, work in one of 500 cases. In the 499 remaining cases it will just fail due to unforeseen consequences, circumstances, unplanned developments and so on. This results in immense stress and loss of focus, motivation.

A time span of five years is well manageable - if something unforeseen happens, you don't feel like "all that work of the last 6-19 years falls together", its mostly just a few years which you would loose if everything fails and alternatives or changes in the way are easier to find and embed.

As such: if you want to go the career-way, don't plan it from zero to 100% completely thorough without leaving open ways for alternatives, changes, if necessary. Smaller steps and you are flexible to adjust to the developing life (time). Always stay open and attentive regarding unplanned but productive changes, adjustments. Who knows, maybe you can keep a dog -and- follow your further career ways in < 6 years due to some unplanned changes in your life. If you see that chance, go for it.
 
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YanchaOkami said:
Don't plan for 20 years, that's ways too long to stay happy. A goal helps, but a goal over such long time spans demotivates or fails very often due to unforeseen developing.

Plan in smaller steps: next five years. Then look and reflect: what do you want to see changed, what is okay, not okay, did your goals or ways of life change?

Then plan the next five years. To plan 20 years of the future will maybe, with much luck, work in one of 500 cases. In the 499 remaining cases it will just fail due to unforeseen consequences, circumstances, unplanned developments and so on. This results in immense stress and loss of focus, motivation.

A time span of five years is well manageable - if something unforeseen happens, you don't feel like "all that work of the last 6-19 years falls together", its mostly just a few years which you would loose if everything fails and alternatives or changes in the way are easier to find and embed.

As such: if you want to go the career-way, don't plan it from zero to 100% completely thorough without leaving open ways for alternatives, changes, if necessary. Smaller steps and you are flexible to adjust to the developing life (time). Always stay open and attentive regarding unplanned but productive changes, adjustments. Who knows, maybe you can keep a dog -and- follow your further career ways in < 6 years due to some unplanned changes in your life. If you see that chance, go for it.
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Very well put.
 
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