Comments on: The Pain and the Prize http://middlezonemusings.com/the-pain-and-the-prize/ It's about lessons learned... from life! Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:38:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Middle Zone Musings » Hidden Potential http://middlezonemusings.com/the-pain-and-the-prize/#comment-6535 Middle Zone Musings » Hidden Potential Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:01:53 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/?p=153#comment-6535 [...] on it (which is a West Texas expression meaning punched it in the nose and stomped it flat). (You can read about that particular epiphany here.) For a few days, I even considered switching to Architecture, but alas, my grades weren’t [...] [...] on it (which is a West Texas expression meaning punched it in the nose and stomped it flat). (You can read about that particular epiphany here.) For a few days, I even considered switching to Architecture, but alas, my grades weren’t [...]

]]> By: Robert Hruzek http://middlezonemusings.com/the-pain-and-the-prize/#comment-3691 Robert Hruzek Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:51:21 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/?p=153#comment-3691 You're close, Jean. Actually, after working in the field for twenty years, it gave me the chance to actually <i>see</i> where I wanted to go (OK, so I was a slow learner). When I was in college, I couldn't visualize what that career would be like. The word "engineer" was just that - a word. On the other hand, the value I see in traveling is in getting people out of their comfort zones. There's a whole new world out there waiting to be explored! Alas, too many people I know are perfectly happy with their own little view of the world, and would just as soon never leave it. I agree - great conversation, Jean! You’re close, Jean. Actually, after working in the field for twenty years, it gave me the chance to actually see where I wanted to go (OK, so I was a slow learner). When I was in college, I couldn’t visualize what that career would be like. The word “engineer” was just that - a word.

On the other hand, the value I see in traveling is in getting people out of their comfort zones. There’s a whole new world out there waiting to be explored! Alas, too many people I know are perfectly happy with their own little view of the world, and would just as soon never leave it.

I agree - great conversation, Jean!

]]> By: Jean Browman--Transforming Stress http://middlezonemusings.com/the-pain-and-the-prize/#comment-3675 Jean Browman--Transforming Stress Mon, 11 Feb 2008 06:28:32 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/?p=153#comment-3675 Even though the desire to travel was a motivator, it wasn't as strong as my wanting to spend my time doing things I love. My dad hated his job and my mother had a job that didn't turn me on. I wanted to find something that resonated with me. That was the source of my early drive. For my daughter it was something similar. We have some land up in the mountains and we spent a lot of time there as a family working on projects, such as planting fruit trees, building a shed, having a garden, building a tractor from a kit (it was small, but it worked fine for maintaining the road), etc. My daughter wasn't academically inclined, and when she was in high school my husband told her, "No problem. With your background you can always get a job digging ditches and building barbed wire fences." For some reason that didn't appeal to her. She was also working at Sonic drive-in at the time and could see that some people were working not just for extra money but because it was their livelihood. So she did go to college and worked hard, and she ended up getting a Ph.D. in biopsychology. She spent her junior year at St. Andrews, Scotland, which did expand her view of the world. But even though I think traveling is a great experience, I don't think it motivates people to find a satisfactory career. I think it's more important that (1) they get experience trying things so they can see where their interests and talents lie and (2) they have a chance to see what the alternatives are if they don't apply themselves. That's what ended up motivating you, right? Again, great conversation! Even though the desire to travel was a motivator, it wasn’t as strong as my wanting to spend my time doing things I love. My dad hated his job and my mother had a job that didn’t turn me on. I wanted to find something that resonated with me. That was the source of my early drive.

For my daughter it was something similar. We have some land up in the mountains and we spent a lot of time there as a family working on projects, such as planting fruit trees, building a shed, having a garden, building a tractor from a kit (it was small, but it worked fine for maintaining the road), etc. My daughter wasn’t academically inclined, and when she was in high school my husband told her, “No problem. With your background you can always get a job digging ditches and building barbed wire fences.” For some reason that didn’t appeal to her. She was also working at Sonic drive-in at the time and could see that some people were working not just for extra money but because it was their livelihood. So she did go to college and worked hard, and she ended up getting a Ph.D. in biopsychology. She spent her junior year at St. Andrews, Scotland, which did expand her view of the world. But even though I think traveling is a great experience, I don’t think it motivates people to find a satisfactory career. I think it’s more important that (1) they get experience trying things so they can see where their interests and talents lie and (2) they have a chance to see what the alternatives are if they don’t apply themselves. That’s what ended up motivating you, right?

Again, great conversation!

]]> By: Jean Browman--Transforming Stress http://middlezonemusings.com/the-pain-and-the-prize/#comment-3672 Jean Browman--Transforming Stress Mon, 11 Feb 2008 04:23:12 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/?p=153#comment-3672 In fact, I spent two quarters at Stanford-in-Germany my junior year. We did a lot of traveling around Europe on vacations and during our three-day weekends (every other week). I spent another month traveling around after the school year ended. Very few (if any) other physics majors did that because it meant a heavy load my senior year--all physics and math courses, but it was worth it. I ended up dropping out of graduate school after my first semester because I wanted to do more traveling. I did. See Building a Solid Foundation (http://cheerfulmonk.com/2007/11/12/building-a-solid-foundation) for more details. It doesn't matter when you figure out what you want. The main thing is when you do you're more than willing to pay the price. In my case I ended up not going back to graduate school because a Ph. D. in physics wasn't what I wanted. That was a surprise, but I've never regretted the decision. Great conversation. Thanks! In fact, I spent two quarters at Stanford-in-Germany my junior year. We did a lot of traveling around Europe on vacations and during our three-day weekends (every other week). I spent another month traveling around after the school year ended. Very few (if any) other physics majors did that because it meant a heavy load my senior year–all physics and math courses, but it was worth it.

I ended up dropping out of graduate school after my first semester because I wanted to do more traveling. I did. See Building a Solid Foundation (http://cheerfulmonk.com/2007/11/12/building-a-solid-foundation) for more details. It doesn’t matter when you figure out what you want. The main thing is when you do you’re more than willing to pay the price.

In my case I ended up not going back to graduate school because a Ph. D. in physics wasn’t what I wanted. That was a surprise, but I’ve never regretted the decision.

Great conversation. Thanks!

]]> By: Robert Hruzek http://middlezonemusings.com/the-pain-and-the-prize/#comment-3663 Robert Hruzek Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:31:31 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/?p=153#comment-3663 Jean, I've often thought pretty much ALL college kids ought to travel for a year or so during college. Take a semester in another country or something. Just to see what's out there and get out of the "local" view so many have. Ah well, it all turned out OK in the end! Jean, I’ve often thought pretty much ALL college kids ought to travel for a year or so during college. Take a semester in another country or something. Just to see what’s out there and get out of the “local” view so many have.

Ah well, it all turned out OK in the end!

]]> By: Jean Browman--Transforming Stress http://middlezonemusings.com/the-pain-and-the-prize/#comment-3652 Jean Browman--Transforming Stress Sun, 10 Feb 2008 18:53:17 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/?p=153#comment-3652 Great post! What a great truth. That's the trouble with college for so many kids. They're there because that's what they're supposed to do, but they don't know what they really want yet. Thanks for pointing me here. Great post! What a great truth. That’s the trouble with college for so many kids. They’re there because that’s what they’re supposed to do, but they don’t know what they really want yet. Thanks for pointing me here.

]]> By: A Stroll Through the Past | Middle Zone Musings http://middlezonemusings.com/the-pain-and-the-prize/#comment-960 A Stroll Through the Past | Middle Zone Musings Tue, 22 May 2007 12:03:57 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/?p=153#comment-960 [...] regreted not completing my degrees there. (There’s a little more about that story in my post, The Pain and the Prize.) As a student, I was a proud member of the 300-strong Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, which at that [...] [...] regreted not completing my degrees there. (There’s a little more about that story in my post, The Pain and the Prize.) As a student, I was a proud member of the 300-strong Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, which at that [...]

]]> By: Bob http://middlezonemusings.com/the-pain-and-the-prize/#comment-187 Bob Wed, 31 Dec 1969 23:59:59 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/?p=153#comment-187 Gee, Az - and I didn't even know there was such a major. But it's good when you can finally realize where you SHOULD be heading! Gee, Az - and I didn’t even know there was such a major. But it’s good when you can finally realize where you SHOULD be heading!

]]> By: Az http://middlezonemusings.com/the-pain-and-the-prize/#comment-188 Az Wed, 31 Dec 1969 23:59:59 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/?p=153#comment-188 This is kinda funny. My calculus was, well, calculus. Multivariable, to be precise. Just couldn't handle the third dimension. I switched majors from Engineering to Criminal Psychology. Switched from Criminal Psychology to School Psychology. Finally switched from School Psychology to, you guessed it, Engineering Psychology when I suddenly realized (epiphany -- *ding*) that's what I should've moved straight from Engineering to. This is kinda funny. My calculus was, well, calculus. Multivariable, to be precise. Just couldn’t handle the third dimension. I switched majors from Engineering to Criminal Psychology. Switched from Criminal Psychology to School Psychology. Finally switched from School Psychology to, you guessed it, Engineering Psychology when I suddenly realized (epiphany — *ding*) that’s what I should’ve moved straight from Engineering to.

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