Mike Rowe- Dont follow your passion

[stephen4785]

It's refreshing to hear a celebrity actually make sense. Seems like most of them have jack shit to say and when they do crap spews out. Rowe hits on points that Iv talked about with younger people for years. I hate the fact that schools push kids into thinking that they have to go to college to be sucessful and that any blue collar jobs are lesser than others. The video is long but I think it's worth watching.

[JC316]

I've always liked Mike Rowe's ideas and politics. My best friend went to college, got a degree that he never used, and went into a white collar job that he hated. I decided that I hated school, so I went into mechanics and I'm happier doing it.

Now, he is bouncing around, temp job to temp job, with very few possessions and I have never seen him happier than he is.

[Skidonenko]

[tribaltalon]

one of my friends is an extremely sucessful camera man, and he up and decided to take off and explore southeast asia. right now hes riding a 110cc honda motorcycle through vietnam with not a care in the world. must be nice.

[crapstang]

I plan on attending school myself, but I also enjoy mechanics and things of the sort. Do what you like. If you do something that you hate, what's the point? You can make $150k/yr and be miserable, or sell fish by the seaside totaling $15k/yr in a different country and be the happiest man on earth.
One thing I can't stand is when people look down upon someone due to their occupation. Unfortunately, I catch myself doing it all the time. Someone who enjoys their job is much more pleasant than one who has the "I hate my job/life" attitude.

Thanks for sharing that.

[KBScobravert]

I could go on for days about doing something you hate just because it pays well. I am at that extreme right now. I sort of enjoy the job, sometimes, but I hate not being at home with my family every night or watching my 1yr old daughter learn new things everyday. The only solice I have is the paycheck every two weeks. I used to LOVE the work I do here in Afg. But I progressed and moved into an office job that I hate and my relationship with my gf at the time progressed into us being married and now with a family. The money does not offset the lonelyness and missing out on this stage of my daughter's life. Those feelings only make me HATE my job even more.

[diablo rojo]

I've always enjoyed working with my hands to produce something tangible. I've always been an artist, and thought that was what I would be when I grew up.

Right out of High School, I began an apprenticeship to fix brass and woodwind musical instruments. I worked my way up to master tech before walking away from it after 5 years.

I started doing picture framing.

I really enjoyed the challenge of doing things, within the scope of framing, that I hadn't seen. As typically happens with "go getters", I started moving more into management. 3rd key, Assistant, Store Manager, all the way up to DFW Regional Manager. I wasn't happy.... I just wanted to create stuff. That desire drove me to create a product. I started a business building and selling custom movie poster cases for home theaters. Unfortunately, the economic collapse took the wind out of those sails. I had to get a real job.

I went to work as a mechanic. It was fun, and I was working with a bunch of my good friends, but the pay sucked and a divorce was eminent.

I decided to look into a museum prep job. I contacted the Kimball and before I new it, they had set up an interview with the company I work for now.

I handle art.

Basically, that means that I physically pick up and handle it. Picasso, Warhol, Van Gogh, etc. I uninstall, pack, deliver, and install. I drive trucks all over this country and work in the best institutions in America. Our private collectors are truly the elite. Corporations and CEO's to sports owners and ex-presidents.

When a piece is too big to be manhandled we bring in cranes, gantries, skytracks.....whatever is necessary. I even get to frame on occasion. My expertise was noticed and now utilized to frame the actual works that I used to frame prints of.

As had happened in the past, I started getting pulled into management. Before I knew it, I was creating and running the DOT department at the company. It was enjoyable. I was "creating something". After two years though, I stepped down. I wasn't making enough to support my family.

Here's the rub.

I love my job. But I love my family more. The unfortunate aspect of my job is the travel. I would honestly trade a job I enjoy, for the moments that I'm missing. But, I HAVE to support my family and that often means sacrifice. One day, maybe I will finally grow up and become that artist I wanted to be. They seem to make decent money.

[Baron Von Crowder]

I follow Mike Rowe on Facebook, its interesting to see what he posts. He seems to be a very genuine type of guy.

[Sleeper]

If its not a show, mike rowe is a cool dude in my book.

I wish the show was still on the air. The last few seasons where the best because he really didnt seem to give a shit haha.

[FATHERFORD]

I work for the money so I have money for my expensive hobbies.

Sure I like working on fast cars and messing with computers, but for a few exceptions they don't pay dick and I would just be working on mini vans and removing a Trojan virus.

[Baron Von Crowder]

I work for the money so I have money for my expensive hobbies.

Sure I like working on fast cars and messing with computers, but for a few exceptions they don't pay dick and I would just be working on mini vans and removing a Trojan virus.

true, I have always been into cars, and I started turning wrenches young, but doing it for a living doesnt feel the same as working on hotrods or something cool.

I still end up doing it on what has become a second job, as much as I have fought it.