| "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream." Mark Twain It's a good time to start asking myself... what should I do in the next couple of months. Coming to Korea I've had a generous amount of time to enjoy all of my hobbies, teach and think about my life. Here I sit at a crossroads. I'm finished with school and my obligations back home are few outside of family and friends. My job is simple and extremely enjoyable, while the people I've met here have made a large impact on my life. Before my arrival, I felt that I had my life all lined up in a polished organized line ready to be taken one by one, but my eyes have opened to the many different paths. The path that I once had chosen was one of safety and comfort but I'm trying to sail away from that "safe harbour." If there is one thing that I learned from my Music Therapy education is to take social and emotional risks because your ability to grow as a person is stunted by always staying safe. I'm scared to choose a path because I don't know where I will end up or how "happy" I will be, but I know I have to bite the bullet and take a risky path. "Which direction should I take?" flies through my mind more often than not, these days. Some paths look extrodinarily rocky while some others look smooth and shiney. I guess I need to stop looking at the beginning of the path and focus on the end and put all of my heart into whatever path I choose. Currently, I can extend in the program that I am in now to stay in Samcheok and continue teaching at my current school. My two other options are to stay in Korea and teach in Seoul where I have a long list of contacts or go back home and get a job in financial planning job in some large city. Staying in Samcheok is my safe option because I'm very well familiar with my school, students, area, etc,. but my opportunities for advancement are miniscule. Next, Seoul is a riskier position where one of my connections has offered to help me get a job near them. In Seoul my opportunities for advancement are huge and I already have a large network of people to help me along the way. The draw backs are that I will have to work longer hours, give up time for some of my hobbies and my working condition are currently un-known. Lastly, going back home to start a job in a totally different city will be a huge challenge and I don't see many of the postives of making that move unless I have a job lined up, enough money to live comfortably, etc,. I guess staying in Seoul would give me more time to save up lots of money and finish my financial planning courses that will set me up for a successful return to the states. Twenty years from now, I'm sure I'll be able to look back at these past couple of years and be happy with the course that I've taken. From now on, it's not the safe course but the riskier one. |
Monday, October 4, 2010
"Which way should I go?"
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dude i was lying in bed thinking the exact same thing. wanna rock paper scissors it, and whoever loses has to do the scary one?
ReplyDeletePat good idea. Wait do you get scared? Didn't think so.
ReplyDeleteBut we should stick it to the man and both do the scary one.
We should go to Seoul and conquer the city one rich kid at a time.
I don't think Americans will be hiring financial planners in the next 5 years.
ReplyDeleteI'm also really tempted to sign in my town. If I didn't have a girlfriend living so far away from me I definitely would sign for a second year with TaLK. The salaries with TaLK are unmatched--if you think about your wage on an hourly basis. And for me, time is wealth, so I like the part time hours. Getting a full time job for 2.3 is a step down compared to TaLK, IMHO.
ReplyDeleteBryan I agree with you on the benefits of the TaLK program. We are treated very well and going to a hagwon would be a step down in pay per hour but the proximity to Seoul and all my friends there would make up for it.
ReplyDeleteI'm not trolling your blog, I swear! This same quote was used as the theme for my MIT orientation. However, I think it's my duty to point out the flaw in Mark Twain's logic here before you make an important life decision based on this.
ReplyDeleteYou'll be disappointed by the things you didn't do but it's a double-edged sword. If you choose to do something, by default you're also choosing not to do something else; according to Mark Twain, you will regret the things you choose not to do. What does this imply? You'll always be disappointed 20 years down the road no matter what you choose to do. Think about that for a second.
If you choose to stay in Samcheok, maybe one day you'll regret not returning home to the States or not taking a job in Seoul. But if you choose to return to the States, there's an equal chance that you'll regret not staying in Samcheok or Seoul. Mark Twain has failed you. Also, no decision in life is safe. So you're always sailing away from the safe harbor.
Sorry to rain on your parade. My scientific brain has to pick apart the logic in all seemingly wise sayings.
Kathy, Mark Twain isn't saying that you'll be disappointed no matter what in 20 years. He clearly states "you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did" which means you will focus on your did not do's more than your did do's. You will compare "more disappointed...than" and could be disappointed with either scenario, but you will be more disappointed with what you didn't do than what you did do. Mark Twain does not say you will "regret the things you choose not to do" which implies that yes you will be unhappy with everything you did not do. You changed the wording which changes the meaning.
ReplyDeleteYes, I totally agree that "no decision in life is safe," but each decision does not carry the same amount of risk. Each decision will carry a different amount of risk and reward. The riskiest decisions usually have the highest reward and the safest decision the lowest reward. Mark says "sail away from the safe harbor" because when you compare your low risk chosen decisions with the high risk not chosen decisions you'll be more disappointed.
Remember this is an inspirational quote.
To add on, you'll just be disappointed with not choosing something because usually the risk holds you back. See once you experience something you either learn from it or something good comes out of it. Mainly, I think Mark is saying to experience everything regardless of how risky it may seem because not matter what something good will come of it.
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