Does anyone else just work to live, and have no real desire to 'succeed' beyond living comfortably?

ScarySquirrel

ScarySquirrel

ScarySquirrel

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South East
Basically, this is me. Yes, I'd love to be rich and have amazing cars etc., but I have a good job in an industry that I've been in for over 7-8 years now, I get paid a salary that I'd quite happily just stay on for the forseeable future. I don't want to take on more responsibility, of course I want to succeed at work and do well, but I don't really have any desire for that to take me anywhere. I don't love work, but I do love the company and people I work for/with.

People my age that I know and I've worked with obviously do have that drive, and one in particular is now a Commercial Director at a similar company, and clearly doing very well for himself.

I think a lot of it is lack of belief in what I can do, even though I do have moments where I realise I'm good at what I do, this lingering lack of belief must surely have held me back. I think about how I can change that but then I just realise that I'm happy with my work/life balance right now. I'm terrible with money and have debts to pay, so the obvious driver would be money I guess. I am living kind of comfortably in that I can afford to pay my debts off and still enjoy myself.

Sorry, I'm rambling, but does anyone else feel like this?
 
Bassssically the same, although I'm not living as comfortably as I'd like (29, only earning 20k) - If I could get that up a bit I'd have a bit more of a disposable income and I'd actually be able to save up for a few things quicker.

Work wise, I've come to the realisation I would LOVE to do a job I like day in day out but the reality is it probably won't happen...However that is no doubt where I fail in life. I'd like a job I can say I enjoy somewhat (Read: don't go in crying every minute at various things) and where I earn a half decent wage that heads towards the 30k mark.
 
It depends really, I took a job which had a big pay rise last October, we live a lot more comfortably and save a lot each month but I don't see my family as much...it's difficult where I live as well paid jobs are not there unless you commute 45mins+ each day which I have to do. I see my daughter for 45 mins before she goes to bed and we have a new born also.
 
Andybtsn said:
It depends really, I took a job which had a big pay rise last October, we live a lot more comfortably and save a lot each month but I don't see my family as much...it's difficult where I live as well paid jobs are not there unless you commute 45mins+ each day which I have to do. I see my daughter for 45 mins before she goes to bed and we have a new born also.
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This is my concern too, as I have a young family. I'm pretty well paid but under pressure to take on more respobsibility
 
I'm on a salary that allows me to live very comfortably and support my girlfriend to stay at home and look after our newborn instead of going back to work, my commute is about 2 minutes and it's pretty stress free...

All that said...I still want more! I'm quite materialistic, which isn't a good trait to have so I very much follow the money although I shouldn't really. I'd be the first to moan if it meant less time with my family and for my gym lifestyle.
 
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Definitely have a drive to earn more/do more work wise, I think having friends who I know earn comfortably more has made me buck my ideas up a little bit. I get by now OK.

Owning a home of my own one day would be nice
 
Wanting money isn't materialistic if you're doing something more than spending it on the next iPhone, you could be investing so that you don't have to sell your life for as long as you would and or providing your children with the best gift you can give them, education.
 
I've never really wanted to do anything besides what I'm doing. I work at the Electric company callcentre on about 26k but it goes up almost 1k a year without fault so I've no issues simply staying. I get dirty cheap shares which triple in value within 5 years due to my staff benefits and cheap power so I can pretty much buy anything I like. My wife earns loads and I never need her help.
 
the shadow said:
ScarySquirrel Get off my TV :p
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Haha, it was on again last week wasn't it?

Steedie said:
I'm on a salary that allows me to live very comfortably and support my girlfriend to stay at home and look after our newborn instead of going back to work, my commute is about 2 minutes and it's pretty stress free...

All that said...I still want more! I'm quite materialistic, which isn't a good trait to have so I very much follow the money although I shouldn't really. I'd be the first to moan if it meant less time with my family and for my gym lifestyle.
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Yeah I am a bit too, I love buying new gadgets and games and stuff, but I've been better in the last year as we're saving for a wedding.

I live about an 8 minute walk from work, I get paid well for the area - I could probably earn another £5-10k or so if I wanted to commuted to London, but I cannot think of anything worse, for me, it's not worth it.
 
Yeah, I'd never commute to London, even for 10x my salary. The stress of it is just not worth it to me. I know people who do it from where I live, and they are up to leave the house for 6am and not back until 8pm or later most nights. They're earning loads but never have a chance to spend it.
 
Yes, I'm obsessed with it, so far that I am never satisfied and genuinely think I'll never actually be happy in life.

How's that for depressing.
 
No desire for a promotion or career progression at all anymore. We're more than comfortable, in a good position. I like in an amazing place, have a ridiculous holiday entitlement and no longer have to work long hours, and long may it continue. I ski every weekend, and cycle some of the greatest mountains in the spring-autumn. When we move back to the UK though (no plans but it will happen) who knows?
 
platypus said:
No desire for a promotion or career progression at all anymore. We're more than comfortable, in a good position. I like in an amazing place, have a ridiculous holiday entitlement and no longer have to work long hours, and long may it continue. I ski every weekend, and cycle some of the greatest mountains in the spring-autumn. When we move back to the UK though (no plans but it will happen) who knows?
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Just seen your location. You sir, have made it :cool:
 
I'm feeling the same at the moment. 25 and been in a stable job for 5 years after leaving uni coming out with about £20k/year, will progress to about £22.5k in a couple of years. Living in the North the wages are lower, but it's also a lot cheaper to live. I love who I work with and don't mind the job either, could quite happily do this for a good while yet.

I don't have any money issues, no debts bar student loan, have loads of disposable income and currently saving for a house with my girlfriend. Go on holiday abroad once a year, have 2 cars and a rally car project. There's nothing more in life I need.

However I have the nagging feeling that I'm not achieving my full potential. I graduated with a degree from Durham Uni after flying through GCSE's and A levels with top grades. The graduate job market was so competitive when I left uni, I went to a few interviews for big city jobs but didn't make the cut, so settled for an average job close to home.

I did software engineering at uni and my job does make use of those skills, but over time I've came to realise I'd rather have done something more hands on at uni, engineering of some sort. Computers were always my thing but now I fancy a change.

I'm afraid of reaching out and making the leap, what if I end up in a job I hate or somewhere with no job security. On the other hand I see no route for progression in my current job.

My ideal has always been to run my own business, I enjoy and I'm good at working on cars, I repair other peoples cars at weekends as a hobby. I also really enjoy plumbing and it's something I feel I would be good at.

Sorry if this post is a bit rambly, just happened to be about something I've been thinking about recently so decided to get it all off my chest!
 
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