Deeply regret being so short sighted

[Anonymous]

So, I have an interesting story as I grew up abroad with a diplomat father. Due to his career and related status, I had a very very nice life where I grew up in beautiful homes around the world, chauffeurs, cooks and nannies abound. Plus, we had a car with a flag on it and people gasped in awe whenever we arrived anywhere.

However, we weren't wealthy as the diplomatic corps is not known for its high incomes. My father always advised me to pursue a career that will bring me a good income. He told me to sign up for computer science and math classes or business classes. When I told him I was not interested in CS and I studied English Lit instead, he advised me to pursue law. I said law was boring. After graduating I pursued the worst thing you can; non-profits.

I was so stupid, naïve and idealistic. I got sucked in by their pretty marketing and truly, having grown up abroad, I had seem poverty and privilege in all its forms. I felt lucky and wanted to make a difference.

Lo and behold, here I am at 35 in a DC non-profit grinding away with a pitiful income of 63k. Meanwhile, my smarter friends, all pursued law and business and are living amazing lives. I grew up with a silver spoon in my mouth and did NOT realize until now that for normal people, you get to live in a nice house and go on nice vacations by making MONEY!! Not by trying to save the world in an underpaid job.

UGH UGH. What a life.

[Anonymous]

Sorry I have no sympathy. You had access to more than most people and squandered your opportunities.

[Anonymous]

35 is still very young. YOu have time to turn your life around if that's what you want to do. Dreams and ideas don't pay bills, i know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry I have no sympathy. You had access to more than most people and squandered your opportunities.

Don't think OP was asking for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, I have an interesting story as I grew up abroad with a diplomat father. Due to his career and related status, I had a very very nice life where I grew up in beautiful homes around the world, chauffeurs, cooks and nannies abound. Plus, we had a car with a flag on it and people gasped in awe whenever we arrived anywhere.

However, we weren't wealthy as the diplomatic corps is not known for its high incomes. My father always advised me to pursue a career that will bring me a good income. He told me to sign up for computer science and math classes or business classes. When I told him I was not interested in CS and I studied English Lit instead, he advised me to pursue law. I said law was boring. After graduating I pursued the worst thing you can; non-profits.

I was so stupid, naïve and idealistic. I got sucked in by their pretty marketing and truly, having grown up abroad, I had seem poverty and privilege in all its forms. I felt lucky and wanted to make a difference.

Lo and behold, here I am at 35 in a DC non-profit grinding away with a pitiful income of 63k. Meanwhile, my smarter friends, all pursued law and business and are living amazing lives. I grew up with a silver spoon in my mouth and did NOT realize until now that for normal people, you get to live in a nice house and go on nice vacations by making MONEY!! Not by trying to save the world in an underpaid job.

UGH UGH. What a life.

LOL poor baby. What "pretty marketing" does English Lit and "non-profits" have? I missed that brochure I guess.

[Anonymous]

You can still pursue a different career OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, I have an interesting story as I grew up abroad with a diplomat father. Due to his career and related status, I had a very very nice life where I grew up in beautiful homes around the world, chauffeurs, cooks and nannies abound. Plus, we had a car with a flag on it and people gasped in awe whenever we arrived anywhere.

However, we weren't wealthy as the diplomatic corps is not known for its high incomes. My father always advised me to pursue a career that will bring me a good income. He told me to sign up for computer science and math classes or business classes. When I told him I was not interested in CS and I studied English Lit instead, he advised me to pursue law. I said law was boring. After graduating I pursued the worst thing you can; non-profits.

I was so stupid, naïve and idealistic. I got sucked in by their pretty marketing and truly, having grown up abroad, I had seem poverty and privilege in all its forms. I felt lucky and wanted to make a difference.

Lo and behold, here I am at 35 in a DC non-profit grinding away with a pitiful income of 63k. Meanwhile, my smarter friends, all pursued law and business and are living amazing lives. I grew up with a silver spoon in my mouth and did NOT realize until now that for normal people, you get to live in a nice house and go on nice vacations by making MONEY!! Not by trying to save the world in an underpaid job.

UGH UGH. What a life.

LOL poor baby. What "pretty marketing" does English Lit and "non-profits" have? I missed that brochure I guess.

OP here. I used to attend charity events due to my father's job and encountered a lot of these organizations. They talked really well and being so sheltered and naive I thought that is what I wanted to do. Little did I know about the reality of these organizations.

[Anonymous]

Even in the non-profit sector, there is a wide salary range. You don't need to stay in your current position or at your current org. If you want to make more money, start planning to make a move. Now is the time, orgs are desperate for people.

[Anonymous]

OP- it's not too late. you are only 35.
go back to grad school for a STEM degree or a top 10 business school and reinvent yourself. You have 30 years more career to go. Go for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, I have an interesting story as I grew up abroad with a diplomat father. Due to his career and related status, I had a very very nice life where I grew up in beautiful homes around the world, chauffeurs, cooks and nannies abound. Plus, we had a car with a flag on it and people gasped in awe whenever we arrived anywhere.

However, we weren't wealthy as the diplomatic corps is not known for its high incomes. My father always advised me to pursue a career that will bring me a good income. He told me to sign up for computer science and math classes or business classes. When I told him I was not interested in CS and I studied English Lit instead, he advised me to pursue law. I said law was boring. After graduating I pursued the worst thing you can; non-profits.

I was so stupid, naïve and idealistic. I got sucked in by their pretty marketing and truly, having grown up abroad, I had seem poverty and privilege in all its forms. I felt lucky and wanted to make a difference.

Lo and behold, here I am at 35 in a DC non-profit grinding away with a pitiful income of 63k. Meanwhile, my smarter friends, all pursued law and business and are living amazing lives. I grew up with a silver spoon in my mouth and did NOT realize until now that for normal people, you get to live in a nice house and go on nice vacations by making MONEY!! Not by trying to save the world in an underpaid job.

UGH UGH. What a life.

LOL poor baby. What "pretty marketing" does English Lit and "non-profits" have? I missed that brochure I guess.

OP here. I used to attend charity events due to my father's job and encountered a lot of these organizations. They talked really well and being so sheltered and naive I thought that is what I wanted to do. Little did I know about the reality of these organizations.

Sheltered by whom? Your father told you directly and repeatedly to pursue a career path with higher compensation. Rebelling against parental advice is not the same thing as being sheltered from reality.

[Anonymous]

So find work in the corporate world? You have plenty of time to raise your salary.

If you were going to be miserable as a lawyer though, it's good you didn't pursue it. Life with money is worthless if you're working 928347287634 hours at a job you hate.

[Anonymous]

No sympathy. You are young. You could turn this around. You could turn this around without going after another degree.

[Anonymous]

Op, don't feel bad for yourself. Deep down inside you knew you did not have the aptitude nor the discipline to become a computer scientists or an attorney. It's easy to say that now....but you knew it back them. IF you are still attractive at 35, just find a rich mate to marry.

[Anonymous]

The problem is that you live in a society where $$ trumps everything else. You should derive satisfaction from the fact that you ARE trying to improve the world, and help those who are otherwise ignored. There's every possibility that you could make $200K per year and feel completely empty inside.

[Anonymous]

There's plenty of people with basket weaving degrees earning $150k+. In sales, or consulting, or as a Director of whatever. You need to work towards promotion, or lateral into higher paid position elsewhere, or do consulting or sales.